Playoff Picture: Los Angeles Clippers
By Luke Duffy
Why They’ll Win It All
This team’s starters tick all the boxes in terms of what you could want from your team. They have the best offensive efficiency in the league (109.8). Think about that a second. In an era when the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and even Atlanta Hawks score the ball beautifully in their own unique ways, the Clippers stand above all of them. (The video below is a brilliantly detailed look at how this team scores the ball.)
When you see their players though, it’s not hard to understand why. Paul seems to get to his spots and get his shots off whenever he wants. Ditto for Griffin, and although he can fall in love with his jump shot a little, it’s come on leaps and bounds and is another way to hurt opponents. J.J. Redick is a three-point marksman, shooting an incredible 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. His 16.4 points a game are a career high as well.
Matt Barnes is the defensive pest who appears to have been around forever. He can also hit the three ball, a major plus. Jamal Crawford is once again a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, his ability to heat up in a hurry massive for this team. Even role players like Glen Davis, Hedo Turkoglu and Rivers have given them something in recent weeks.
In tense playoff games, having so many offensively gifted players will be a big boost for this team. Paul will set the table accordingly, but he also isn’t afraid to take over when necessary.
We haven’t even mentioned DeAndre Jordan either, a legit Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He’s having his best season as a pro. The playoffs are about stars, and the Clippers have three who can combined can do it on both ends of the court for the long stretches.
Next: More Than A Couple Of Flaws To Uncover