LA Clippers: 3 reasons they will not win the 2020-21 NBA title

1. The LA Clippers lack an elite defense

The Clippers have the league’s second-best offense, one clearly good enough to win at the highest level even if there are some concerns that the shots may not fall as frequently as they like. The problem is the other side of the ledger, where the Clippers rank just 11th in defensive rating.

That shouldn’t be possible given the Clippers’ personnel. They have five plus defenders across their starting lineup, including three premier perimeter defenders in Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverly. Both Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubac at center are excellent rim protectors. Why are the Clippers only mediocre on that end?

Part of the answer is health. Only Ivica Zubac among the Clippers’ rotation players has appeared in all 64 games, and the most an expected playoff starter has played in is Marcus Morris’ 50. George has missed 16 games, Leonard 18, and Ibaka has missed 25. The Clippers have been rotating in a diverse cast of characters to stay afloat this season.

Even so, there are cracks in the defense. George, Zubac, Ibaka and Morris, all locks for the playoff rotation, have negative defensive plus/minus for the season. How much is a fluke based on a tumultuous rotation and how much is a sign of a problem is hard to tell. It also doesn’t matter if that tumultuous rotation continues into the playoffs.

There is no underlying number that signals the Clippers are “safe” when everyone returns. Their defense should be better, of course, but many other teams have also been missing key contributors for much of the year. There is no guarantee the Clippers will gain more by the time the playoffs start than their competitors.

The LA Clippers have a deep roster, plenty of postseason experience and two of the best wings in the game. Yet there are multiple reasons to be worried about their chances of winning four series in a row and taking home the championship trophy. Right now, the signs point to the Clippers not winning the 2020-21 NBA title.