Los Angeles Clippers: Three reasons to watch
With the 2016-17 NBA season on the horizon, Paste BN Sports highlights the top three reasons to watch all 30 teams. We also recap any significant moves made in the offseason and project how your favorite team will finish.
Watchability ranking: 7th
What’s different? With their core group of players intact, the Clippers brought in a hodgepodge of veteran talent to try to keep up at the top of the West. They let forward Jeff Green, center Cole Aldrich and guard Pablo Prigioni walk, but with forward-center Marreese Speights, forward Brandon Bass, guard Raymond Felton and forward-guard Alan Anderson coming in, they might have their best top-to-bottom roster yet.
The last hurrah? It’s no secret the fate of the franchise again rests on the shoulders of the core of Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. It’s also no secret the clock is ticking ... and fast. The supporting cast — with veterans Jamal Crawford, Wesley Johnson and Speights, Felton, Bass and Anderson — must be strong as ever if the Clippers have any hopes of getting over the hump, especially with Paul, Griffin and Redick set to hit free agency after the 2017-18 season.
Mo Buckets: A fan favorite during his three-year run with the Golden State Warriors, the sweet-shooting Speights will help spread the floor and add high-quality depth to the frontcourt. There’s something special about watching a 6-10, 255-pound big man knock down 25-footers.
Marquee matchups: Coming as no surprise considering they’re expected to be in the upper echelon of the West again, the Clippers have a handful of games that qualify as must-see TV throughout the season. They play the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State four times apiece, the Portland Trail Blazers three times, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics twice, and they face off against the crosstown Lakers on Christmas Day.
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP
(Statistics from 2015-16 season)
- Chris Paul - Points: 19.5, assists: 10.0, rebounds: 4.2, steals: 2.1, field goal percentage: 46.2%
- J.J. Redick - Points: 16.3, rebounds: 1.9, assists: 1.4, steals: 0.6, field goal percentage: 48.0%
- Luc Richard Mbah a Moute - Points: 3.1, rebounds: 2.3, assists: 0.4, steals: 0.6, field goal percentage: 45.4%
- Blake Griffin - Points: 21.4, rebounds: 8.4, assists: 4.9, blocks: 0.5, field goal percentage: 49.9%
- DeAndre Jordan - Points: 12.7, rebounds: 13.8, assists: 1.2, blocks: 2.3, field goal percentage: 70.3%
How good can they be? When healthy, the Clippers have the talent to beat anyone. But as they’ve seen over the past half-decade, on-paper talent only gets a team so far. Best-case: The Clippers stay healthy, push past the postseason hump and win the first championship in franchise history. Worst-case: another early postseason exit and the departure of the core shortly thereafter.
Paste BN’s projection: 56-26
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