The Los Angeles Clippers open up their 2018-19 preseason schedule this Sunday, when they take on the Sydney Kings in Hawaii. Today, we will dive deeper into this match-up and look at key story-lines heading into this game.
As the Los Angeles Clippers begin their new season, fans are anticipating the debuts of new faces as well as seeing how the team meshes together on the floor.
If you recall last season, the Clippers were the most injury-riddled team as injuries piled up before the halfway mark of the season.
Heading into Sunday, the Clippers will have a roster full of 20 players. It will be interesting to see who will win position battles throughout the preseason.
Game Preview
The Clippers will take on the Sydney Kings of Australia on Sunday Night. The Kings are led by the former No.1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft in Andrew Bogut.
For the second consecutive year, the Clippers will begin their preseason action in Hawaii. Last year, they played the Toronto Raptors twice in Honolulu.
In today’s battle, the Clippers will get a better understanding of what rotations work well and if any players can make a impact and show why they deserve a spot on the roster.
We will view 5 story-lines to keep an eye on throughout not only today’s game but for the rest of the preseason.
No.1: Who will be coming off the bench?
As we all know the bench unit will have Lou Williams slotted in at the Shooting Guard of the bench, but who are the other 4 that will join him?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will most likely be the backup to Patrick Beverley, with Milos Teodosic currently not practicing due to an injured hamstring. Montrezl Harrell has said he will be playing more of the 5 this year.
The remaining two spots that are up for grab can go several ways. You can plug in Luc Mbah A Moute or Mike Scott at the 4 and the battle at the 3 will be intriguing.
No.2: Will the bigs shoot 3’s during games?
Marcin Gortat, Boban Marjanovic and Montrezl Harrell, have all been seen working on corner threes this off-season.
If they are called into the game and can hit that shot at a decent rate, it will only open up the offense even more and space the floor out for iso’s and pick and rolls.
As long as they don’t fall in love with that shot they should be fine, but then again who doesn’t want to see Boban shooting 3’s during games.
No.3: How will Clamp City look on the offensive end?
Sunday night will be the first time that Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley step foot on the court together as teammates. They are known for their ball-hawking skills and defensive pressure for 94-feet.
However, how will both guards mesh on the offensive side of the ball? With other starters including Tobias Harris, Danilo Gallinari and Marcin Gortat, it will be interesting to see how the starters will look on offense.
No.4: How many minutes will we see for the rookies?
The Clippers two first round rookies will make their long awaited debut on Sunday.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should see about 10-20 minutes on the floor but how many minutes will Jerome Robsinson see with this deep roster?
Jerome’s skillset on the offensive side of the ball will benefit the Clippers this year as he can ball handle and knock down threes at a high rate.
No.5: Who will be on the final 15 man roster?
The final 15 players on the roster will be tough to decide as each player is deserving for a roster spot.
As of now, the Clippers will need to trade or release 3 players by the start of the season. The battles for the remaining spots will come down to the final games of the preseason.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has also reported that the Clippers are still “very interested” in making a possible deal for Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler.
This preseason can go many ways but it will exciting to see how this team will perform on the floor with their new identity of Clamp City.
Where To Watch
TV: Fox Sports Prime Ticket/NBA League Pass (check local listings)
Time: 6:30 PST/9:30 EST
Venue: Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu, Hawaii