The Clippers have obviously been in a mess in recent games, but the Clippers still let the veteran forward enter the starting lineup?

In the previous NBA regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Clippers at home 126-107. After this game, the Thunder, who had won 8 consecutive games since the start of the season, improved their record to 8-0, ranking first in the Western Conference; while the Clippers, who suffered two consecutive losses, have dropped to 3-4, and their ranking has dropped to 10th in the Western Conference.

In this game, Clippers forward Nicolas Batum replaced the injured Kawhi Leonard and entered the team's starting lineup. Batum played 17 minutes and 50 seconds, making 1 of 5 shots and 1 of 5 from beyond the three-point line. He had 3 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists. He also had 1 turnover and 3 fouls, with a plus-minus of +2. Batum can still play a certain role on the defensive end, but his role is not particularly obvious. He also has certain passing and support abilities on the offensive end. However, the problem is that Batum's scoring stability is no longer what it used to be, and his performance in outside shooting has also declined significantly this season. Also because of Batum's presence, the Clippers' starting lineup is severely lacking in scoring ability. Derrick Jones Jr. actually got the second-most shots on the team, which is also closely related to Batum's entry into the starting lineup.

In the NBA regular season last season, Batum played a total of 78 times in 82 games, averaging 17.5 minutes per game. He averaged 4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. He also had 0.4 turnovers and 1.4 fouls. He shot 43.7% from the field, 43.3% from the three-point range, and 81% from the free throw line. During the playoffs, Batum played a total of 7 times, averaging 24.6 minutes per game, 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game. He also had 0.4 turnovers and 1.9 fouls. He shot 39.4% from the field and 39.4% from the three-point range. Since the start of this season, Batum has averaged 14.1 minutes per game in the first 7 games, averaging 2.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game. He also has 0.4 turnovers and 1.9 fouls. His shooting percentage is 27.3% and his three-point shooting percentage is 30%.

Batum's status this season has indeed declined significantly compared to last season. The most obvious thing is on the offensive end. His offensive efficiency is really terrible, and his touch outside the three-point line is also very disappointing. With Batum's form in these games, putting him in the starting lineup seems incomprehensible. What's more, the Clippers also have John Collins sitting on the bench, and it's obvious that he is more suitable to replace Leonard in the starting lineup. It is no exaggeration to say that Clippers fans were almost half-hearted when they saw Batum enter the starting lineup. With such tactical arrangements and personnel arrangements, it seems unrealistic for the Clippers to win the game.