Despite the LA Clippers current struggles, their star center DeAndre Jordan is extremely underrated and not to blame.
Heading into the beginning of this NBA year, DeAndre won a gold medal and made the All-NBA First Team. That is pretty impressive, but can he keep it up with the Clippers for seasons to follow? Consistency separates the true stars from the rest of the league.
Actually, he is doing just that. The video above gives us the following:
He is averaging an efficient double-double with 13.6 rebound per game. In addition, he leads the league in field goal percentage. He is about to finish the season above 70% for the third straight year. Only the great Wilt Chamberlain has accomplished this.
As a first time All-Star this year, DJ gets the nod from the head coaches around the league. This is the first year that the NBA All-Star reserves are decided by head coaches. They all recognized DeAndre’s talents, having to game plan for him some nights. Besides, he is a match-up nightmare, especially when getting lobs from Chris Paul. Additionally, Jordan’s player efficiency rating (PER) is at a career high 21.4. He is also shooting nearly 70% from the line this month.
DeAndre Jordan is just entering his prime to say the least, and has so much potential. He compliments teammates and runs the pick-and-roll very well, averaging 5.6 screen assists per game. That is fourth highest in the NBA.
This is not to mention Jordan is dominating the boards, grabbing just under 70% of ALL rebounds within 3.5 feet from the rim. That ranks highest of all centers in the league.
Justin Russo shares just how valuable and responsible Jordan is when it comes to winning games. Now, for the fourth consecutive year, DJ is a top ten player in defensive win shares. He ranks sixth in total win shares behind Stephen Curry, James Harden, Lebron, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.
This further backs up to how important DeAndre really is to this Clippers team. No wonder they went all hay wire and “kidnapped’ Jordan inside his home two summers ago. They pushed him to have a change of heart and resign with Los Angeles, which will end up being one of their best decisions. This has the Clippers remaining top-tier in hopes for a good playoff run. Without Jordan they would likely be fighting for the eight playoff spot at their best. That is why he so underrated.
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