Who is most responsible for the Clippers 6-game losing streak?

At home of the Los Angeles Clippers, when the scoreboard settled at 116-130, the stadium was instantly flooded with disappointed boos. Some fans angrily tore off their jerseys, threw them on the ground, and left the field without looking back. This disastrous loss to the Nuggets made the Clippers' humiliating six-game losing streak a reality. Their 3-8 start to the season also made the "luxury battleship" that had high hopes in the offseason completely turned into a laughing stock in the league. After the game, online fans participated in the responsibility voting, which sparked heated discussions. Head coach Tyronn Lue ranked first, followed by Leonard, and even Harden, who tried his best, was also on the list.

Tyronn Lue became the primary responsible person in the hearts of fans with the highest number of votes. This game against the Nuggets clearly exposed many problems in his coaching. As the core of the tactics, Jokic was helpless in front of the Clippers' defense. He made 17 of 22 shots in the three quarters and scored 52 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Tyronn Lue has tried a variety of defensive strategies. Whether it is letting Zubac defend alone inside or sending players to double-team, they have not been able to effectively limit the opponent. When double-teamed, Jokic can easily distribute the ball to open players on the outside, but Zubac cannot keep up with him when defending alone. The chaos of the defensive arrangement is evident.

Such a scene is not uncommon during the 6-game losing streak. During the five-game losing streak, the Clippers lost by 61 points in the third quarter. "Third quarter collapse" has become a label for the team, and this game was not immune. After being widened by their opponents in the third quarter, the Clippers' subsequent pursuit was weak and ultimately unable to recover. What is even more criticized is his rotation strategy. In order to maintain his strength on the field, Tyronn Lue is almost paranoid about the main force. Harden, who contributed 23 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in this game, has recently averaged more than 38 minutes per game, which is even more tiring than when he was with the Nets. This directly caused Harden's efficiency to drop to 38% in the final quarter, and he could not run at the critical moment.

At the same time, he rarely gives young players opportunities, making it difficult for role players to continue in high-intensity games. Faced with the lineup dilemma, Tyronn Lue tried five small lineups and a twin-tower formation, but never found a suitable solution. After the game, he habitually said "we will adjust", but similar losses have proved that such statements are just empty perfunctory. It is no wonder that fans will vent their greatest anger on him.

Leonard ranks second on the responsibility list, which seems harsh but actually reflects his importance to the Clippers. As the core of the team's offensive and defensive system, the Clippers have been polishing the tactics built around him all summer - on the defensive end, he needs to match the opponent's strongest arrow and direct the defense, and on the offensive end, he needs to hold the ball in the elbow area to attract double teams and then distribute the ball. However, inflammation in his right knee has kept him unable to play this season. This game against the Nuggets still has a high no-match card, and this set of well-trained tactics has naturally become empty talk.

After joining the Clippers for seven seasons, Leonard missed a total of 209 regular season games. Such frequent absences made it difficult for the team's lineup to form a stable balance. When he was absent, the Clippers' offensive efficiency dropped to the middle of the league, and the defensive end was full of loopholes. Their opponents easily averaged over 115 points per game. Facing the Nuggets' multi-point offense in this game, the Clippers' defensive rotation was like a "leaky roof", with poor communication between players and chaotic defensive replacements. This is the direct result of the lack of Leonard, the core defensive coordinator.

More importantly, his absence made his teammates passive. Harden was forced to take on more offensive and organizational responsibilities, and role players had to fill in the gaps temporarily. The rhythm of the entire team was completely disrupted. The fans' anger stems not only from his current absence, but also from the fact that he has a US$340 million contract but has been exempted from the game all year round. The team paid many prices such as ticket prices and luxury taxes for his absence, but failed to reap the rewards it deserved.

Harden's appearance on the responsibility list made many fans feel sad. In this game and the previous losing streak, he is almost the only fig leaf for the Clippers. Against the Hawks, he scored a triple-double of 35 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. He scored 23 points in the final quarter and almost led the team to a comeback. Facing the Nuggets, he tried his best on both offense and defense, but it was still difficult to reverse the defeat. But it is not unreasonable for fans to include him in the list.

As the team's ball-holding core, the suitability of Harden's style of play and the team is still controversial. He needs a lot of the ball to organize offense, which often causes the team's offense to stagnate after he comes off the court. At the same time, the 35-year-old's physical fitness has declined significantly, and his mistakes have increased under high-intensity confrontation. The two mistakes in this game may not seem like many, but when the score is close, every mistake may affect the team's momentum. In addition, Harden's defensive problems have not been improved. Facing the Nuggets' flexible outside players, it is difficult for him to keep up with his defensive pace, making him a target for opponents to break through.

It is worth noting that this tragic six-game losing streak cannot be completely summarized by the problems of these three people. The Clippers' defeat was a systemic collapse. The responsibility of the management is also unshirkable. During the offseason, they blindly hoarded elderly stars to create a so-called luxury lineup, but ignored the rationality of the lineup. They followed the trend and grabbed outdated stars, turning the team into a "star nursing home", but did not pay attention to cultivating new players, resulting in a serious lack of depth in the team's lineup.

Bill is out for the season, Paul is on the shelf, and Leonard is absent, making the cards in Tyronn Lue's hand even more shabby. Collins, the new player introduced by the team, had the lowest plus-minus of -58 in the first four games and failed to put out the fire at all. In addition, the team's lineup is seriously aging. Only two of the main rotation players are under the age of 27. The problem of insufficient physical fitness is infinitely magnified in the intensive schedule. This is also an important reason for the Clippers' repeated collapses in the fourth quarter.

But the Clippers' predicament is by no means caused by a single player or coach. From the management's team building ideas to the performance of role players, there are problems in every link. Now the Clippers' playoff probability has plummeted from 78% at the beginning of the season to 42%. If the return date of the core players is still unclear, and the coaching staff and management can no longer come up with practical and effective solutions, this luxury battleship may really be completely sunk in the journey of this season.