Los Angeles Clippers: The Whole Package

While the Los Angeles Lakers were busy imploding from the inside out, the Los Angeles Clippers spent this offseason reconstructing and attempting to get better and boy, did they ever. Formerly a sitting duck and a joke throughout the NBA, the Clippers are now extremely relevant and are being picked by some to win the Western Conference this year. All the pieces they have acquired allow them to do just that and possibly more. They have a great opportunity to not only be contenders in the West, but compete for a championship like no other Clippers team has been able to in franchise history. Sure, when they acquired Chris Paul two seasons ago they became a lot better and set franchise records (which weren’t that impressive to begin with), but with the many additions they have made this offseason, a championship is certainly not out of the question, certainly something fans should not be surprised to see.

Doc Rivers is the first and most important piece in the Clippers loaded team. (Flickr.com photo by Keith Allison)

The first and most important addition the Clippers made to their team was coach Doc Rivers. After firing Vinny Del Negro, the Clippers went on a coaching search with two goals in mind: Hire a coach that will make Chris Paul re-sign and hire a coach that will help contend for a championship. Doc Rivers accomplished goal No. 1 and has a very good chance of achieving No. 2. Rivers’ resume speaks for itself. He spent 15 seasons in the NBA playing for five different teams and played for the Clippers during the 1991-92 season. As a point guard during his playing days, he will be able to aid superstar Chris Paul further in his development and help him perfect his craft. Rivers’ point guard experience will be the most of help to bench players like Darren Collison, who played with Paul in his rookie year in New Orleans and will benefit greatly from both Paul and Rivers guiding him going into his fifth season. Aside from his experience as a player, Doc is an incredibly respected coach. Regarded by some as one of the best coaches in the league, Rivers will be going into his 15th season as a head coach, in which he has acquired a Coach of the Year award and, most importantly, a championship in 2008 with the Boston Celtics. His hard-nosed, aggressive and passionate coaching style will no doubt inspire the Clippers to play the best basketball any of us has seen in their franchise’s history. Ever since the Clippers acquired Chris Paul, the missing piece for the team’s success has been an elite coach to complement the incredible talent they have. Now that Doc Rivers is taking the reins, this is no longer a problem.

J.J. Redick will be the star of the Clippers bench this season. (Photo by Paul Gorbould/Flickr.com)

Last year the Clippers were near the top of the league in bench production, finishing third in the league, and although some players from this bench squad are no longer with the team, they have been replaced by players who perform their assigned tasks extremely well. The most important pickup for the Clippers this offseason was J.J. Redick, who will headline the bench squad (assuming Jamal Crawford starts). As a prolific 3-point shooter, Redick will provide a huge spark off the bench for the Clips and due to the constant penetration of Chris Paul, he will surely get many open looks, which he will be expected to knock down with consistency. Another piece to the bench squad that will surely help the Clippers will be Jared Dudley (assuming Matt Barnes starts). Dudley is coming off a solid stint with the Phoenix Suns, where he averaged double figures in points during the last three seasons. Still on the younger side of his career (28) he still has the speed to get past defenders, knock down jump shots with consistency and, at the same time, is a solid defender on the other end of the court. Finally, the last member of the bench squad who will see significant minutes is Darren Collison. Collison’s role will be the most important of any of these players. When he comes into the game, he will be expected to keep the flow of the game under control while at the same time making dynamic plays to keep the Clippers in the game while their star point guard catches a few breaths. With the guidance of Paul and coach Rivers, Collison has the potential to have a breakout season and play an integral part in the team’s success. The Clippers bench squad has players that would be potential starters on many other teams. They are strong, talented and should be feared.

Chris Paul headlines a very strong starting 5 for the Clippers. (Photo Credit: Chrishmt0423 Flickr.com)

The starting lineup for the Clippers is as strong as any team in the NBA (yes, including Miami). Headlined by Chris Paul, these group of players have very few holes. Scoring will be absolutely no problem for this group as they include Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. As they did last year, Lob City will run and gun teams to death with their speed and superior athleticism. Different from last year will be their ability to be successful with their half-court offense. Last season the Clippers were criticized for their inability to be productive in a half-court set and could only score consistently in a run-and-gun style. Any team who stopped this could and would beat them. Now that Doc Rivers has taken the reigns, this will no longer be a problem as he, along with Paul will control the tempo of the offense and make them much better in the half-court while at the same time remaining dominant on the open court. With Paul still running the show and Griffin improving each year, the Clippers’ starting five pose a threat to any group that stands in their way.

With all the great new additions made this offseason, there is still one thing that they posses that will set them apart from many teams: the desire to win. With Chris Paul going into his ninth season, Blake Griffin going into his fourth and Doc coaching his 15th, all the Clippers want is a championship. Sure, the in-game dunk contest that Blake provides on a constant basis entertains us all and surely gives his teammates a thrill, but at the end of the day that’s only two points. With this newfound group, the Clippers have only one goal: Win a championship. They have the entire package and they are ready for greatness.