The LA Clippers offense is going to shine in 2018
By Paul Tooke
The LA Clippers offense, which formerly struggled, now has the potential to operate at a season-best level. Here is why you should look forward to watching the Clippers score in 2018.
In the NBA, an offense is not everything, but a team must outscore their opponents to win games (duh). The Clippers were once without 4 starters and unsure of where points would come from. During this time, Lou Williams naturally stepped up and is now averaging over 21 points per game (career-high), shooting 44.7% from the field and 40.6% from three. Blake Griffin, averaging 23.5 points for the season, has returned to the starting lineup and has brought back his scoring, playmaking, and leadership abilities. Finally, Austin Rivers is averaging a career-high 15.8 points per game. He has improved drastically on his decision-making skills as well as shooting the three-ball (40.5% for the season).
Those three players’ jobs on offense only become easier whenever you factor in the recently-returned Milos Teodosic. Griffin and Teodosic have played just 5 games together, meaning there is much more to be seen from the duo. This pairing is something that fans should look forward to in 2018, now that they are both healthy. Griffin has been making plays (averaging 5.3 assists per game) rather than taking a large number of shots (18). The more time that Teodosic and Griffin spend together on the court, the more plays Teodosic can make, allowing Griffin to focus more on scoring. If they both embrace their respective roles, the team’s offense will shine even more.
When Rivers returns from his sore achilles, the Clippers starting five will likely be (in order) Teodosic, Rivers, Wesley Johnson, Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan. This is a lineup that poses a greater threat to difficult opponents such as the Rockets, Thunder, and Celtics — all of which will face off against the Clippers in January. This starting five leaves Williams coming off of the bench with his 21 points per game, as well as Sindarius Thornwell, Montrezl Harrell, and Jawun Evans, who have all found themselves in the starting lineup recently.
The Clippers are 14th in the league for points per game at 105.7. However, they will likely climb the ladder due to their starting lineup coming back together. Fans have endured injury after injury to multiple players, but things are looking up in 2018 for our offense due to players improving their ability to score the ball, and even having career-high seasons.