Clipperholics
Fansided

Marreese Speights could be the LA Clippers’ missing piece

By Leonard Saldana

December 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Marreese Speights (5) reacts after scoring a basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
December 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Marreese Speights (5) reacts after scoring a basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 23, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers center Marreese Speights (5) and forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) defend against Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes (40) in the second half of the NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers center Marreese Speights (5) and forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) defend against Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes (40) in the second half of the NBA basketball game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Looking forward

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The Clippers have one of the best starting units in the NBA, and in earlier years it has been the bench who has lost leads. This year’s bench has shown flashes (especially early on) of being one of the best reserve groups in the league. The addition of Marreese Speights and Raymond Felton in the offseason have only made the team better, because those pieces fit into the puzzle so well and have contributed right away without needing ages to figure out their role.

There are still almost four months of regular season basketball left and that leaves plenty of time to tweak defensive assignments as well as rotations once everyone comes back healthy.

Speights is what the Clippers wanted in a stretch big and more, and is part of the reason the team got out to such a fast start and gave fans hope their beloved franchise will make it past the second round for the first time.

Seems like a lot of praise of a role player, right?

Next: Clippers must improve their transition defense now

Well, it’s the role players that help win playoff series and are especially relevant to taking the typically shallow LA Clippers to a new level, so I have high expectations for Speights in this year’s campaign. Get your popcorn ready and wait to see some fireworks.

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