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The LA Clippers’ hunger gives them a necessary edge

By Garrett Chorpenning

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 9: Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers celebrates after play against the Boston Celtics on February 9, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 9: Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers celebrates after play against the Boston Celtics on February 9, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The LA Clippers have the talent to match up with the best, but if there’s one thing that will push them over the edge in 2020, it’s hunger for a title.

As we begin to draw closer to the beginning of the 2019-2020 regular season, there are a few things that I can’t seem to keep my mind off of — the first of which is the fact that the LA Clippers have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the roster. Two months have passed since they’ve been added to the roster, and it still seems surreal.

Another thing I’ve been thinking about is how this new-look Clippers team is going to stack up against the rest of the NBA. Obviously this is an extremely talented team we’re looking at, but there are some other powerhouses out there as well. The Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers could also pose significant threats to the Clippers throughout the upcoming season, and if any of them meet LA in the postseason, the Clippers could be in trouble.

That being said, this Clippers team possesses a quality that most other teams don’t have — at least, not to the same degree that the Clippers do.

They’re hungry.

The Clippers’ players are a lot of things. They’re versatile. They can play on both ends of the floor. Most of them can shoot a consistent three-ball. Above all, though, they’re hungry. They need to win.

That kind of edge is something that could seriously help them out as they battle through the upcoming season. Having guys that embody that mentality is something that’s sure to help, too.

Patrick Beverley is the first that comes to mind, and for good reason. Often described as the heart and soul of the LA Clippers, the gritty point guard takes every possession seriously and wills the team to fight up until the final buzzer. Just look to the Clippers’ multiple comeback victories last season as evidence of that.

Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams are hungry, too, and they show it in very different ways. Harrell is loud and animated on the court. He hangs on the rim after slam dunks and screams after sending back shots. Williams couldn’t be any more different — he’s a cold, silent killer. And like Beverley, he doesn’t let his team go down without a fight.

It’s no coincidence that (with the exception of Leonard) the Clippers don’t have a single NBA champion on the roster. These are all guys that are as hungry for a title as the franchise is — and they’re all on the same team. And through Leonard’s leadership, they could follow in the Toronto Raptors’ footsteps and win their first-ever NBA title this upcoming season.

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Their talent will help them out, but the LA Clippers are driven and ready to compete. That edge is something they’re going to need, and it could end up being the thing that puts them over the top.

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