Los Angeles Clippers: How a team with no All-Stars is tied for 1st in the West
By Aymin Bakr
A multitude of skilled pieces
As previously stated, the Clippers have a team with a lot of players that can score the ball. However, in addition to being good scorers, a lot of those same players provide significant impact in other areas of the floor while other guys deliver their specialty every night.
One of the team’s best scorers — Lou Williams — comes off the bench and plays alongside the aforementioned Harrell, Marjanovic and Gilgeous-Alexander, and virtually any of these guys could fill in for the starting lineup. In fact, each of them has at some point this season or in the past.
The starting lineup possesses an elite defensive backcourt of Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley, two high-level scorers in Gallinari and Harris at the forward spots and a rounded-out center position of either Marcin Gortat or Marjanovic, depending on matchups.
When Bradley was injured just a few weeks ago, SGA was able to fill in and bring a similar defensive intensity with added offensive capabilities, and the team still performed just as well. Furthermore, when either Gortat or Marjanovic aren’t performing or are too limited, Harrell has been able to take the majority of the minutes at center for that game, especially in small-ball lineups.
The Clippers one of the best examples of a well-balanced effort each night, combining high-level scorers with a plethora of multi-talented players and specialists on the defensive end. Most importantly, this team gives full effort across all positions and that’s really dangerous when you’ve got such a variety of talent.