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Pacific Division: 5 Burning Questions for the 2016-17 Season

By Josh Cornelissen

November 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the basketball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 112-108. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the basketball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 112-108. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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October 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Raymond Felton (2) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) react against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
October 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Raymond Felton (2) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) react against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Los Angeles Clippers: Can They Make it Past the Second Round?

For the past few seasons, no team in the NBA has boasted a nucleus as potent as the Los Angeles Clippers. Chris Paul is perennially one of the two or three best point guards in the league, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are athletic marvels who play above the rim like none other, and J.J. Redick has honed being a role player to perfection.

Despite their talented core, the Clippers have run into the same glass ceiling year after year. This team cannot advance beyond the second round of the playoffs, falling to the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Chris Paul has a full Hall of Fame resume but has never sniffed the Conference Finals.

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    • For Los Angeles to turn things around and take the step that has eluded them for so long, two things need to happen. They need Blake Griffin to be a top-10 player in the league, and they need to secure the Western Conference’s second seed.

    Griffin missed 47 games last season, most due to the broken hand he acquired punching a team official. When he is healthy and playing at peak efficiency, few players in NBA history can glide up to the rim or power through defenders on the block in the same way Griffin can.  He is a unique player, and Doc Rivers has shown no qualms in deploying unique players.

    Griffin was an MVP-caliber player two seasons ago, and the Clippers lost in the Second Round to the Houston Rockets. More so than their franchise forward returning to form, Los Angeles needs to win a solid amount of games, more than in years past. If the Clippers want to reach the Conference Finals, they should focus on this goal.

    Home court advantage is not unattainable in a Western Conference that saw future Hall of Famers depart their team, to retire (Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryanr) or to join a superteam (Kevin Durant). With the Spurs and Thunder specifically taking a set back, the Clippers have a great window to make a run at the title.

    If Los Angeles can host a Game 7 in the second round, they would have a shot to advance. Teams such as Portland, Utah, and Dallas are all old foes that Los Angeles is familiar with, and facing them in Los Angeles could give the Clippers an edge to advance.

    If the San Antonio Spurs end up facing the Clippers in the semifinals, Chris Paul and company have their first round victory of two seasons ago to know they can overcome the Spurs if they can host the series.

    If Blake Griffin and the rest of the Clippers nucleus maintains their level of play, and the bench is at least average, winning 55-60 games is within reach. And if L.A. can snare the second seed then a trip to the Conference Finals could be in the cards for Doc Rivers’ team.