The meeting between the Pelicans and the Clippers has become a high-profile matchup this season. After the war, the Pelicans reached a 30-21 record and continued to consolidate the sixth place in the West, while the Clippers fell into a 34-16 quagmire and fell to the fourth place in the West. In this game, the focus was not on the scoreline, but on the performance of Clippers backup center Mason Plumlee.
Plumlee showed excellent offensive ability in 15:06 minutes of playing time, making all four shots, 11 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, which can be called offensive firepower. The problem is his weak performance on the defensive end. Plumlee's lack of fitness, movement speed and ability to protect the basket has become a breakthrough in the team's defense. On the defensive end, he appears inadequate, with limited defensive ability and inability to effectively protect the basket. Despite his contribution to the scoring charts, his burden on the team's overall defensive system led to a drop in plus/minus to -16.
Plumlee's defensive problems have not only been exposed in this game, but have been a nuisance throughout the season. 20 appearances, an average of 18For four minutes, his performance on the pitch was worrying. Despite his relatively high shooting percentage and rebounding percentage, his shortcomings on the defensive end are a cause for concern. This has also been pointed out by other **, and for Plumlee, the shortcomings on the defensive end could be the team's soft underbelly in the playoffs.
As the playoffs approach, opponents will be more competitive, and Plumlee's defensive problems could be a big concern for the Clippers. For the team, whether they should make changes in the substitute center forward position may be a question they need to seriously consider. Perhaps, the team could look to other centre-forwards, such as Daniel Theis, who, while not as tall as Plumlee, clearly has the advantage in consistency and reliability. If a team wants to make a breakthrough in the playoffs, changing the bench may be an inevitable option. Plumlee's offensive brilliance was once again evident in this game, as he showed off his strong finishing ability and scoring efficiency. Weakness on the defensive end has become a major problem for the Clippers. Fans have pointed out that despite his sharpness on offense, his holes on the defensive end make him a gateway for opponents to break the Clippers' basket.
Since the start of the season, Plumlee has made just 20 appearances for the team due to injury problems. While his average per game may seem impressive, his flaws on the defensive end are even more evident against stronger opponents. The team's overall performance when he was on the pitch also suffered. Compared to other teams, the Clippers' options at the bench center position appear to be a little weak.
As the playoffs draw closer, teams are bound to face even more fierce confrontations. Opponents will target Plumlee's weaknesses on the defensive end, which will put the whole team under extreme pressure. Whether or not to consider making adjustments to the bench center position to give more responsibility to more well-rounded players may be a strategic adjustment worth pondering for the Clippers.
In the expectation of fans, the Clippers need to better balance the relationship between offense and defense to ensure the overall stability of the roster. It also makes one wonder if the team should give other centre-forwards more opportunities in the upcoming games and look for a more solid backup centre-forward. For the Clippers, how to meet the tougher challenges in the playoffs may require deeper thinking and comprehensive preparation.
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