Los Angeles Clippers: The five-man lineup that is terrifying on defense
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Clippers may not have any superstars on the roster but the team has a particular five-man lineup that can be terrifying for opposing offenses.
The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the more interesting teams to watch over the coming season. While the Clippers are in no spot to contend this season, the franchise can go two polar opposite directions.
First, what the plan likely is for the front office, is to utilize the team’s two max contract spots next offseason to bring in two superstars.
Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins and potentially Kevin Durant, if he opts out of his contract next summer.
Of those names, Leonard and Butler already have existing ties to the Clippers, which is promising. If the team strikes out there, the front office may go full rebuild mode, strip the team of all its assets and hope for the best.
Before that, though, Clipper fans are going to see a brand of basketball that will be boring to watch for some, but fun to watch if you are a Clippers fan.
The Clippers have the potential to be the best defensive team in the entire league. Just imagine adding Kawhi Leonard to that. But regardless, not only do the Clippers have the potential to be the best overall defensive team, they arguably have the best defensive five in basketball.
It will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers implements a roster that is full of guards that includes two rookies that need playing time. We likely will see a slew of different rosters throughout the year. One thing is for certain: when Doc needs defense, this is the five he will likely turn to.
- Point guard: Patrick Beverley
- Shooting guard: Avery Bradley
- Small Forward: Tobias Harris
- Power Forward: Luc Mbah a Moute
- Center: Boban Marjanovic
The Los Angeles Clippers were already the second-best defensive team in the league in the preseason. Running this lineup would be unfair.
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This is the “up by six points entering the beginning of the fourth quarter” lineup that the Clippers should utilize. There is not a defensive hole at all in those five will all five being very productive on the defensive end.
Mbah a Moute is the best defender of the bunch and ranked in the top-20 among forwards in defensive efficiency last season. Marjanovic was the 29th-best defensive center with at least 35 games played in terms of efficiency. However, he provides a rim-protecting presence that can serve as the anchor down low.
Harris was not spectacular but certainly held his own and will be a good perimeter defender in this five that can guard most small forwards with his size.
Then you have Beverley and Bradley in the backcourt which is just unfair. The two guards have four combined All-Defensive honors between them and will be in the running (if healthy) for another inclusion this season.
That is a stellar defensive lineup and one that could produce the low-scoring that the NBA was used to before. While offensively this lineup is not great (it is not bad either) it will produce some of the best collective defense we will see all season.
Next. Are we sure Jimmy Butler is a good idea?. dark
This likely is not the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Clippers, however, it is the lineup that will get the most minutes down the stretch in crunch time.