3 reasons Los Angeles Clippers won’t make the 2019 NBA Playoffs

3. Loss of key pieces and similar roster to last season

The Western Conference has historically been tougher than the Eastern Conference, at least in terms of the last few decades. While the Clippers did manage to win 42 games and finish 10th in the West despite injuries last season, they lost some key pieces and replaced them with players who will need time to adjust.

While Lou Williams and Tobias Harris are expected to be successful as leaders this season once again, the team lost its All-Star caliber center DeAndre Jordan. His defense and impact on the glass ranks him among the elite and, although certainly solid and tenured, the recently acquired Marcin Gortat simply does not replicate this down low.

Furthermore, while promising young pieces like the aforementioned Gilgeous-Alexander and Robinson will make an instant impact, they’re still not likely going to be All-Star level players any time too soon. Guys like Austin Rivers and Sam Dekker have both been moved and the previously injured defensive specialists Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley will take some time to get back into the flow of things.

Yes, injuries and the Blake Griffin trade were definitely a big reason that kept the Clippers from the playoffs last season and it is fairly impressive that they still ended up with a winning record regardless. However, they’ve lost some key players and the ones they got in return will take some time to adjust or simply won’t have the same impact as their predecessors.

I wouldn’t say they’re significantly worse off, but the roster is very similar to last season’s and at this point, it’s not a guarantee that everyone will be healthy enough to make a run even if everyone exceeds expectations in terms of development and performance.