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Ranking the most surprising players on the West’s most surprising team

By Garrett Chorpenning

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers and teammates Mike Scott #30 and Tobias Harris #34 react to a call during the game against Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on November 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers and teammates Mike Scott #30 and Tobias Harris #34 react to a call during the game against Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on November 17, 2018 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Los Angeles Clippers Center Montrezl Harrell (5) reacts to a basket during a NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers on November 15, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Los Angeles Clippers Center Montrezl Harrell (5) reacts to a basket during a NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Clippers on November 15, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The LA Clippers may be the most surprising team in the Western Conference, and they’ve been taking care of business with an unexpected group of players.

Before the start of the 2018-2019 NBA season, experts and fans alike predicted the LA Clippers would finish the year with a ballpark estimate of 35 wins. Fans of the team weren’t happy with the predictions, to say the least, especially after their Clippers had just rattled off a 42-win season with some of the worst health imaginable.

Now here we are, 23 games into LA’s young season, and the Clippers are tied for first place in the Western Conference with the Denver Nuggets. And it’s not just that which is giving fans hope — Los Angeles has beaten some legitimately good teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets (twice), Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, and Portland Trail Blazers.

Of course, with any good team comes head-scratching losses, and the Clippers have a few of those as well. Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks might qualify for that criteria, especially since Los Angeles once led by as many as nine, but there’s none more questionable than their late-November loss to the Washington Wizards.

After leading by as many as 24 points, the Wizards completed a startling second-half comeback to top LA by a final of 118-125.

That loss came smack in the middle of LA’s longest winning streak of the season, breaking up five consecutive victories. The Clippers retaliated very well, though, winning four of their next five before falling to the Mavs.

One of the main reasons why the LA Clippers weren’t on the radar to begin the season was because of their apparent lack of a superstar. Tobias Harris is arguably the closest thing the Clippers have to that, and despite his 21.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game this season, he’s still hardly getting any attention.

At the same time, though, the reason he isn’t getting any attention could be the same reason why the Clippers are hardly getting any as well: He’s been a surprise, and people expect him, as well as the Clippers, to fizzle out at some point.

Harris hasn’t been the only surprise from this LA Clippers team — in fact, for Clippers fans, his performance has hardly been a surprise at all.

On this list, you’ll find LA’s top five most surprising players of the young season. Don’t be surprised if it changes as the year goes on.

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