The LA Clippers will once again match up in Hawaii against the Toronto Raptors, who defeated the Clips 121-113 in the preseason opener.
The LA Clippers may have lost their opening game of the 2017-18 NBA preseason, but the team showed plenty of promise in their performance. If you weren’t able to catch the game, you can find out what you missed from the Clippers’ loss here.
Here are my three predictions for the Clippers’ second preseason game against the Raptors, which tips off at 10 p.m. PT tonight:
1) Milos and PBev flourish as starting backcourt
Doc Rivers opted to go with Patrick Beverley and Austin Rivers as the starting backcourt in the Clippers’ first preseason game and the result was okay. Beverley had a good performance but Austin struggled pretty badly on offense. The starting backcourt with Beverley and Rivers is great defensively, but it leaves the Clippers lacking adequate playmaking from their guards. It also leaves the second unit vulnerable defensively with Milos Teodosic and Lou Williams both being below average defenders. However, with Austin already ruled out for LA’s second preseason game with a strained right glute, Doc Rivers is going to have to switch things up and start Teodosic.
Austin Rivers out tomorrow with strained right glut
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) October 3, 2017
Theoretically, Teodosic and Beverley should be a great combination as the Clippers’ starting backcourt. Teodosic bring the playmaking that Rivers doesn’t quite have yet to the starting lineup and Beverley’s stellar defense makes up for the Serbian’s defensive deficiencies. Add in the fact that the two guards have played together before over in Europe and you can see what they should be a solid combination. Look for the two to excel paired next to each other and make a case for why they should be the starting backcourt for the Clippers when the regular season rolls around.