The LA Clippers blew another double-digit lead over the weekend, and guard Lou Williams thinks that a shift in mentality may be needed.
Addressing reporters after the Clippers lost 118-112 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in a game where they led by as many as 18 points, Williams spoke candidly about the team’s approach when going up big.
“I think we relax and we get comfortable,” he said, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “I think once we get those leads, we realize we’re a pretty good group when we’re locked in and we’re focused. We have the attitude that teams are gonna lay down. I think we have to start recalibrating our minds to being the underdogs from the top dogs and know that every team we play against, they’re going to give us their best shot. They’re not gonna stop playing.
“We’ve had that identity being the other team where we’re down 15, 20 points and we’re not gonna stop playing,” Williams added. “I think we still have to understand that. So I think that’s where we’re having some slippage.”
While the Clippers did not have either Kawhi Leonard or Patrick Beverley on Sunday, they have led by as many 15 points in each of their last three losses. That is a marked shift because, as Williams alluded to, last year’s team was famous for their spectacular comebacks, most notably rallying from 31 points down to beat the Golden State Warriors in a road playoff game.
The 22-10 Clippers have other issues to juggle as well, but they will have to stop getting complacent with big leads if they want to be a true title contender.
