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This is going to be fun: Five takeaways from the LA Clippers’ Media Day

By Garrett Chorpenning

LA ClippersPaul GeorgeKawhi LeonardLou Williams(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LA ClippersPaul GeorgeKawhi LeonardLou Williams(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors plays defense on Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during Game One of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2019, in Oakland, California. Both players were ejected after the play. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors plays defense on Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during Game One of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2019, in Oakland, California. Both players were ejected after the play. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Defense will remain a priority

Again, it’s impossible for defense to not be a priority when you have Patrick Beverley on the roster. But from the sounds of things, he won’t be the only one looking to put the clamps on opposing teams this season.

Paul George was one of the players most excited about how the LA Clippers will look on defense this season. He mentioned the usual names — himself, Beverley, Kawhi Leonard — but he also dropped some that either weren’t on the team last season or simply not known for their defense. This includes Montrezl Harrell, Landry Shamet, Maurice Harkless and Rodney McGruder.

Harrell was a good defensive player last season, but he wasn’t always great. Despite averaging well over a block per game, he can sometimes be limited by his height. The game’s bigger centers would typically have their way with him, even if Harrell was giving it right back on offense.

Harrell did mention that he’s spent some time working on his defense this summer, as well as building up his shoe collection. So long as he’s around hard-working defenders like George and Leonard, it’s hard to imagine him not taking a step forward this year.

We already talked about Shamet’s defense on the previous slide, but to have George specifically mention him as someone who will help make the team’s defense “scary” is an encouraging sign. Again, he could almost always keep players in front of him last season, but he sometimes lacked the bulk and positioning to prevent the ball from going in. With help from Beverley and a few extra pounds of muscle, he has a chance to become a much more special player in 2020.

Unlike Harrell and Shamet, Harkless joined the Clippers with a prior affinity for defense. Before being traded to LA, Harkless was one of the Portland Trail Blazers’ key stoppers and would often take on the most difficult assignment. That included defending George in Portland’s first-round meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder this past season, which Harkless’ Blazers won.

McGruder is another name on the list of swingmen the Clippers have in their arsenal, and you’d better believe that he’ll make some stops this season. With the ability to defend guards and wings, he’ll be a valuable asset against teams that boast stronger benches. And if LA’s starters need some rest, McGruder can cover that as well, being as how he started in 45 of the 66 games he played in for the Miami Heat last season.

Regardless of who is doing the stopping, it’s clear that the Clippers intend to win games on both ends of the floor this season as opposed to shooting themselves to victory.

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