Jeff Van Gundy's defensive calls for reworking Clippers right into a stingy unit

Even with maybe their greatest defender, Kawhi Leonard, out the whole preseason, the Clippers have nonetheless overwhelmed groups on protection.

All through coaching camp, the Clippers have made it their aim to be a troublesome defensive group, to make it exhausting on opponents to attain, to be gritty and sound on protection.

“We’re getting after it defensively,” James Harden stated after Monday night time’s preseason win over the Dallas Mavericks.

The Clippers had 20 steals towards the Mavericks. Middle Ivica Zubac led the best way with 4 and Harden and Kevin Porter Jr. had three.

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Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy has been answerable for the protection and has been insisting on high-level play.

“We received to scrub up some issues,” Harden stated. “We wish to be excellent. We received Jeff Van Gundy, who’s on us on a regular basis about being excellent defensively, trigger that’s like the prospect that we now have. In order that’s our principal focus after which as you possibly can see a bit of little bit of glimpse of it [Monday night]. It generated some fast-break alternatives, which we transformed. In order that’s what we’re going to dangle our hats off on.”

In 4 preseason video games, the Clippers have allowed a mean of simply 98 factors per sport. Solely the Brooklyn Nets have scored greater than 100 factors (106) towards the Clippers.

Clippers assistant coach Brian Shaw additionally credited Van Gundy for serving to spearhead the staff’s give attention to protection.

“I imply, there’s all the time room for enchancment,” Shaw stated. “I feel that the most important factor is that Van Gundy has empowered them to be tremendous aggressive in that they’ll’t make a mistake so long as they’re taking part in exhausting. And like I stated, being aggressive.”

Shaw stated they’ve prime wing defenders in Derek Jones Jr, Kris Dunn, Porter, Terance Mann and Amir Cofey.

Which means the Clippers can defend everywhere in the court docket and really feel snug with any of them.

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“We’ve got versatility when it comes to guys that may play a number of positions and defend a number of positions,” Shaw stated. “In order that needs to be a power of ours.”

The Clippers must make the most of that power of their preseason finale Thursday towards the Sacramento Kings on the Intuit Dome with Leonard unable to play due to inflammation in his right knee. It is nonetheless unclear if Leonard will play within the Clippers’ season opener at residence towards the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23.

“He has not been part of what we’ve been doing each day,” Shaw stated. “I do know the form of firm line has been that we’re going to be affected person with him. So, he’s doing all the pieces that he can to rehab it and strengthen that knee on his personal (and) with our medical workers and we’re simply coping with the fellows that we now have.”

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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Times.