Examining Chauncey Billups’ recent remarks on the LA Clippers

Former player and current ESPN broadcaster Chauncey Billups made some insightful comments about the LA Clippers recently.

Chauncey Billups joined the LA Clippers for the 2011-2012 season along with Chris Paul, seeing the Clippers core three (Jordan, Griffin, and Paul) begin their era together. These are the comments that Chauncey Billups made on the current Clippers along with a response.

"“This isn’t a jab at anyone but they just don’t have enough guys who can make plays late in games… they depend too much on Chris,”"

Billups was not calling any player out specifically here, rather he alluded to his main point: The Clippers depend on Chris Paul too much. Well, we definetely do depend on him often, or we have been before this offseason when he is now due for a new contract. It would be nice to have someone on the team who can move the ball around and make plays similar to Chris Paul’s. Teams that have this luxury include the Cavaliers with LeBron and Kyrie, the Raptors with Lowry and Derozan, the Warriors with Curry and Durant, the Jazz with Hayward and Hill, and many more. Blake Griffin can make good plays and rack up several assists, but his fourth quarter scoring has always lacked at around two points per game in the fourth. He simply cannot compare to dominant guards and small forwards such as the previously mentioned players.

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Depending on Paul is justifiable for the Clippers considering he is a dominant playmaker and is responsible for so much of our offensive scheme. The obvious problem with the Clippers having such a heavy reliance on Paul is that if ever he is not available, an offensive decline begins. Many have suggested that Doc stagger Paul and Griffin more but to no avail.

Billups also offered this wisdom:

"“You’re the Clippers and they’ve had so many down years that you don’t want to blow it up… When you reshuffle and retool, you don’t go from winning 51 to back to .500. You do things to get back to 55 wins. They need more athleticism on the wing. They need a three who can defend, score and knock down shots because Chris is going to be in a lot of pick-and-rolls.”"

That’s a mouthful, so first let’s break it down. Billups suggests that blowing up the team would not be a smart decision. This should be obvious to everyone. Chris Paul is criticized as “getting older” and “slowing down” yet his stats each season remain similar. Blake and DeAndre are both 28 years old. People suggest blowing up the team, but why? Billups addresses this suggestion by explaining that you blow up a team when it is no longer successful. You blow up the team so you can eventually get back to 55 wins in a season, however the Clippers have gotten at least 50 wins for the last five seasons.

The last part of that quote from Billups is the most interesting in my opinion. He gives some very specific advice for the roster with this part of the quote “They need more athleticism on the wing… they need a three who can defend, score and knock down shots because Chris is going to be in a lot of pick-and-rolls.” The LA Clippers previous starting wing man who is now due for a bigger contract, J.J. Redick, cannot be described as athletic. Billups seems to suggest signing a new starting guard to replace him. Luc Mbah a Moute is also not fit for the starting lineup according to Billups, even though he has improved in defending, scoring knocking down shots. Billups may have forgotten about this when he suggested a new “three” here.

Lastly, Billups implies that Chris Paul will be using more screens with these words, “Chris is going to be in a lot of pick-and-rolls.” Many people believe that Paul cannot create a shot the way he used to, and that he needs a screen to complete a play. Chauncey Billups is apparently one of those people.

We find these comments from Chauncey Billups very insightful and worthy of examination, just as we do every comment someone credible makes towards the LA Clippers.