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Los Angeles Clippers: 5 Reasons This Is Their Year

By Gerald Bourguet

October 31, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) speaks with guard Chris Paul (3) during a stoppage in play against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
October 31, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) speaks with guard Chris Paul (3) during a stoppage in play against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Los Angeles Clippers
Nov 5, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; LA Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (32) dunks the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

5. The Western Elite Look Mortal

Heading into the new season, there were essentially only three teams expected to seriously contend for a championship: The Cleveland Cavaliers, who would breeze through the East for a third consecutive Finals appearance, the San Antonio Spurs, who won 67 games last year, and the Golden State Warriors, who won 73 games, came within one win of the title and added Kevin Durant over the summer.

The Clippers have been a championship-caliber team for years, but they’ve always been just one step behind the Warriors, Cavs, Spurs and even the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. For once, it’s starting to look like things might break Lob City’s way.

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    • Though we’re only 10 or 11 games into the season, the Dubs haven’t been the juggernaut we’ve expected. Klay Thompson has struggled out of the gate, and the Warriors have very real flaws that could be exploited in a playoff series, including their lack of depth, rim protection and the stifling defense that turned them into contenders in the first place.

    Golden State is 8-2, but many of their wins were unimpressive victories over bottom-feeder teams. Their losses — double-digit smackdowns at the hands of the Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers — reminded us that other than the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, recent super-teams like LeBron James‘ Miami Heat or his Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled to win titles in their first season together.

    Meanwhile, the Spurs are not the same stifling defense they were last year, mostly because Pau Gasol is trying to fill the void created by Tim Duncan‘s retirement. The Gasol-LaMarcus Aldridge frontcourt has a -2.7 Net Rating so far, and even though he looks like an early MVP candidate, Kawhi Leonard has yet to lead this team to a playoff series win as San Antonio’s undisputed alpha.

    The Spurs have looked mortal at home, and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili aren’t spring chickens anymore. The Cavaliers would be a brutal opponent in the Finals, especially with the way the Clippers have been prone to playoff collapses in the past, but so far, Lob City’s path to the first conference finals and/or Finals appearances in franchise history has never looked more favorable.

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