Marcus Morris Sr. Says LA Clippers Have Better Camaraderie Than Last Year
LA Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. made it clear during his media availability on Thursday that, though the Clippers have largely the same core as last year’s squad, the collective mentality has shifted in a positive direction.
“We’ve got a whole different team, man,” Morris said when asked about the differences between this year and last year. “Whole different team, coaching staff, energy’s a lot better. The Camaraderie’s a lot better. Everybody wants to be here. Everybody’s playing their role the right way. We all have one goal and we’re all committed to it.”
Camaraderie is crucial for any championship contender, and many believed the Clippers lacked it last season. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George spent limited time on the court together, and Morris was acquired midseason. With time spent comes familiarity, and familiarity seems to have bred better chemistry within the team.
Morris also noted the coaching shift. Players have praised Head Coach Tyronn Lue for his calm demeanor; ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski recently revealed that many in the organization believe that Lue “can hit you without leaving a bruise,” meaning he can criticize his players without making it personal. Whether former head coach Doc Rivers had this same ability is unclear, but the relationship between him and the roster must have been at least somewhat strained, or the organization would not have elected to let him go after the Clippers’ infamous collapse in last year’s postseason.
It will be intriguing to see how this newfound camaraderie manifests itself in this year’s upcoming playoff run. The Clippers will face off against the Dallas Mavericks to begin the postseason on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
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