NBA: Biggest winners of resuming season and revamped playoff format

1. LA Clippers

Just like the Lakers, the LA Clippers had a successful offseason as well. They traded for Paul George and acquired two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, thus adding two of the best wing players in the league to an already talented roster.

The only downside is the duo of PG-13 and Leonard has not played a ton of minutes together on the floor. While LBJ and AD have played 1,318 minutes together, George and Leonard have spent just 760 minutes on the court together.

Furthermore, Ivica Zubac is the only player on the roster that has suited up for all 64 games this season.

Despite the fact that their star players have missed a combined 35 games, the Clippers are a top-five team in several categories. In terms of scoring, they are ranked fourth at 116.2 points per game. The Clippers also have the third-best offensive rating as well (113.6 points per 100 possessions). Additionally, the Clippers also boast the fifth-best defensive rating in the league. These trends are a direct result of the team’s depth.

If the NBA had opted to jump right into the postseason, that scenario could have been a hindrance to this ball club. But with an eight-game tune-up at their disposal, the Clippers will be able to figure out which lineups will give them the best chance to be successful going into the postseason.