LA Clippers: 5 big questions for the 2016-17 NBA season
By Tom West
Can the Clippers finish 2nd in the West?
In Saturday’s matchup between the likely 2nd and 3rd seeds in the Western Conference, the team you’d often doubt more came out on top. But things are different this year.
Barring any serious injuries, the fight for the second spot will come down to the LA Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, the clear class of the West behind the overpowered Warriors. They have more talent and experience than those behind them such as the Utah Jazz or Portland Trail Blazers, and Saturday’s game provided us a glimpse at how both L.A. and San Antonio are faring so far this season against elite opponents.
The Clippers dominated. Except for a Spurs run that saw them close the gap to single digits in the second quarter, the Clippers took control. From Blake Griffin’s uncontainable 28 points to the way the team took over in transition with 27 points off turnovers, some of the advantages the Clippers have against the Spurs were on show: their frontcourt is far more athletic in both the pick-and-roll and transition, they can outrun the Spurs, and they have the benefit of two elite floor generals in Paul and Griffin. They simply have a genuine shot at the 2nd seed.
Of course, this is one game. This can’t be used to predict who finishes behind the Warriors, but these advantages the Clippers have are known regardless, and the issues the Spurs may have as the season goes on are clear, despite their stellar first few games behind Kawhi Leonard‘s continued offensive improvement that (rightfully) made everyone excited.
Pau Gasol and David Lee aren’t going to help the Spurs’ defense. Losing Tim Duncan, no matter how many grey hairs entered his beard at 40, was still the anchor of the interior defense, and neither Gasol or Lee can hold down the paint as he could. When drawn away from the basket against athletic teams like the Clippers, they can be attacked when switched onto guards or by explosive bigs rolling to the rim. It’s hard to not see the Spurs dropping off defensively because of it (they’re currently 9th in defensive efficiency), despite Dewayne Dedmon‘s ability as the new young center and the exceptional talent of Kawhi.
Meanwhile, if it can be maintained to a fair extent, the Clippers are completely locked in defensively and have been able to cover for Marreese Speights’ defense well so far. On offense, all the talent they have and the return of Griffin could see them surpass the output of a Leonard and Aldridge led Spurs team.
We’ll wait and see at this early stage of the season, but my prediction of the Clippers winning 58 games to narrowly take the 2nd seed ahead of the Spurs is staying right now.