The 'D' in December

By Don MacLean
FOX Sports West and PRIME TICKET
MACLEAN ARCHIVE

Don't look now, but the Clippers are on a three-game win streak.

That's right, the team that won just five of their first 26 games, has won three straight.

In fact, since Dec. 1, the Clippers are 5-6. In the 18 games prior to the calendar changing to December, LA went just 3-15.

The reason for the drastic turn around?

Defense.

The players, especially the young guys, are starting to figure out just what head coach Vinny Del Negro wants on the defensive side of the ball. It has taken some time as it usually does with a new head coach and new system, but Del Negro's system is finally starting to take root.

Getting guys to buy in completely on the defensive end is a tough job for coaches in the league, but if you are going to win consistently, it has to be done. Individual defense is a part of it, but really good defensive teams play together as a unit and the Clippers are coming together more as a defensive team. Their rotations are better, communication is better and the result is that the Clippers are a much better defensive team than they were a month ago. And when you start to have some success and are winning games in large part due to what you are doing on the defensive end, it is not as hard of a sell.

I think that is what you are seeing right now with the Clippers. They are starting to win some games so they are buying in even more.

The numbers don't lie and as you can see, when the Clippers guard they have a chance to win games.

The Clippers, who surrender an average of 100.8 points per game - 11th worst in the league - have held each of the last three opponents below the 100-point mark while only allowing 100 points or more in three of December's 11 games. Not coincidentally, the team is 0-3 in those games (105-91 L at Philadelphia on Dec. 15, 100-91 L to Blazers and 109-104 L at Denver on Dec. 3).

You would have to go all the way back to the 2006-07 season to find a Clipper team that surrendered less than 100 points per game, as the 06-07 squad was ninth in the league, yielding points at a 96.1 per game clip. That Clipper team finished 40-42, two games out of the playoffs. The year before that, they ranked 11th in the league and surrendered 95.6. That was the last Clipper team to qualify for the playoffs with a 47-35 record and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

The last three seasons, the Clips have combined to post a 71-175 record. Not coincidentally, the 2009-10 team gave up 102.1 points per game, 19th in the league, 103.9 in 2008-09 (25th) and 101.1 in 2007-08, which ranked 18th in the league.

In the last few weeks, the Clippers have turned the corner and are starting to string together some wins. Their defense is much improved and is the biggest reason why they are starting to win more games. If they are going to continue this trend in the win column they are going to have to stay consistent... on the defensive end.