LA Clippers: Ranking their potential playoff opponents
5. Houston Rockets
The first team that is a big threat to the LA Clippers is the Rockets. Before they traded Clint Capela, and even before the season, I viewed the Rockets as the third-best team in the West. After dealing Capela to go even smaller than a small-lineup, I believe they made themselves even a bigger threat.
The Clippers met the Rockets three times already and each game was entertaining to watch. You had Russell Westbrook going for 40 in one game, James Harden with 47 in the other or Leonard with a near triple-double.
As you can tell from all three of these games is at least one star went off in each game and it is very likely this is what will happen in the playoffs too. Each duo is capable of having these sorts of big games, which means it will go down to the rest of the team.
For the last couple of seasons, the Rockets were constantly aiming to make the most threes in the league and they try to maximize that as much as they can with all the moves to go small. During their recent six-game winning streak, the Rockets attempted 49.1 3-pointers per game. For the entire season, they are attempting a mere five 3-pointers less. Based on the moves they have made, it does seem as if that number will increase keep increasing.
Related Story. Can Montrezl Harrell win Sixth Man of the Year?. light
That is how the Rockets will try to beat anyone this year; going small and hitting more 3-pointers than their opponents. It has worked for them so far. They have the second-best offensive rating in the league and an average defensive rating.
But what sets them apart is the unorthodox style of play. The way they utilize the small-ball lineup has not been seen before and before you say the opponents will just go big and maybe post-up, just stop there. What teams actually do that anymore? As Rick Carlisle said “The post-up just isn’t a good play anymore… it’s a low-value situation.”
To answer how much of a threat they are to the Clippers will, of course, depend on the production of the two superstars and who will blink first to the Rockets’ lineup.