Clippers after Hawks loss: 'don't think we have an identity' - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Since returning from their longest and most successful road trip of the season in early February, the LA Clippers have not been the same team.

Playing Sunday against an Atlanta Hawks squad that was without the injured Trae Young, the Clippers fell behind by as many as 29 points before losing 110-93 at Crypto.com Arena.

The Clippers (42-25) have lost four of their past five games and are just 8-10 since they finished their seven-game Grammy road trip 6-1 and stood at 34-15 overall on Feb. 5.

«It's between the ears with us,» franchise star Kawhi Leonard said. «We got to go out and do it.»

Paul George agreed when asked if the Clippers appear to be a veteran-laden team that thinks it can turn things on when it wants to.

«I mean that's what we're appearing to look like, which is not good,» George said. «We want to be a team that's consistent and we want to establish an identity. I've always spoken about having an identity and I think it's extremely important.

»Right now, I don't think we have an identity."

The Clippers played their best basketball in December and January, going 26-5 during a hot stretch and looking every bit like a title contender with new acquisition James Harden.

But Ty Lue's team has been banged up. The Clippers lost Russell Westbrook (broken left hand) indefinitely on Jan. 31. On Sunday, Harden returned from a two-game absence and played through a strained left shoulder, finishing with 9 points and 9 assists but shooting 3-for-10.

Leonard and George have recently battled some injuries, and Norman Powell missed the loss against Atlanta with a left lower leg contusion and was on crutches.

Playing for the sixth time in nine days, the Clippers lacked energy and looked uninspired at times against