LA Clippers: Three factors that will translate to a championship or bust
Here are three factors for the Los Angeles Clippers that will result in a championship or bust when the season restarts.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are on the front lines for the Los Angeles Clippers, and this team is a true contender as long as the entire team is on the same page. They are on the hunt for the franchise’s first title ever, the season after Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to their first championship in history.
He can be the first to ever to lead back-to-back championships with two different franchises.
The Clippers have been pretty good for the last 8 years or so since they acquired Chris Paul from the then-New Orleans Hornets. He was exactly what Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan needed to fully develop. But that team couldn’t get far enough in the playoffs.
It’s more important than ever for the role players around their two superstars to excel. It’s not an easy task, but it’s attainable.
The starting lineup on most nights for the Clippers would be Patrick Beverley, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, Sr., and Ivica Zubac. Lou Williams, Landry Shamet, Montrezl Harrell, Reggie Jackson, and JaMychal Green would usually come off the bench at different times to mix with the starters.
Morris, Sr., Zubac, and Shamet haven’t entered the NBA bubble as of July 15, but they are expected to join the team soon. The Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus, who both live in LA while they’re playing with the Lakers and Clippers, are both missing from their respected teams. Shamet tested positive at the beginning of July, and it’s still unknown why Zubac hasn’t joined the team.
We don’t officially know yet. Doc Rivers was asked about where Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac and Landry Shamet are, including if they’re currently in quarantine, and he said: “I don’t even know, to be honest. I don’t even check. JaMychal walked in and surprised the hell out of me.” https://t.co/Uml3qB0Qy9
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) July 15, 2020
Assuming all three join their team in the next week or so, quarantine in the hotel appropriately, and continue to test negative, the team will be complete including the addition of Joakim Noah from free agency. Here are three factors that will result in a chmapionship or bust for the Clippers.
The team has to play effortlessly.
By that, it means the team has to share the ball, shoot well, and communicate on defense. For the Clippers, defense is second nature. They can lock down any team, and they can translate it to points. They are deadly in that sense. But if they struggle to play collectively, they might not succeed.
Their coaching staff is as important as the players.
Doc Rivers is arguably a top-five coach all-time. His success with teams speaks for itself, but his assistants Tyronn Lue and Sam Cassell are going to be vital to get the message across. Whether fans see it that way or not, the Lakers are in their way on the path to the title, and the Lakers’ coaching staff is made up of a head coach and a few great assistants as well.
The bench has to produce night in and night out.
The bench mob has to help Williams and Harrell because despite average about 19 points a night each, they can’t do it all. The bench can alleviate a lot of pressure from the starters, and that’s exactly what the Clippers need from their deep roster. Kawhi and PG average about 48 points a night combined, so the bench has to produce double digits if they want to have a chance to win games in the playoffs.
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The odds in favor of the Clippers winning the title is different on every site. Vegas Insider has the Clippers at a +333 odds, Odds Shark has the Clippers at +300, FanDuel at +320, and PointsBet at +300. On all four of the sites, the Clippers are third behind the Lakers and the Bucks, who are both favorites depending where you look.
It’s an uphill battle for them, but I’m sure if you ask Patrick Beverley, he’ll tell you he loves to be the underdog anyway.