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Five teams that could challenge the LA Clippers’ title aspirations

By Garrett Chorpenning

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 10: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers steps back on Nikola Jokic #15 and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets during the first half at Staples Center on October 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 10: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers steps back on Nikola Jokic #15 and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets during the first half at Staples Center on October 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 08: Ben Simmons #25, Tobias Harris #12, Al Horford #42, Josh Richardson #0, and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on prior to the start of the preseason game against the Guangzhou Long-Lions at the Wells Fargo Center on October 8, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 08: Ben Simmons #25, Tobias Harris #12, Al Horford #42, Josh Richardson #0, and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on prior to the start of the preseason game against the Guangzhou Long-Lions at the Wells Fargo Center on October 8, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

No. 1: Philadelphia 76ers

Like the LA Clippers, the Philadelphia 76ers are the team that most expect to come out of their respective conferences. They’ve got excellent size and some of the league’s most dominant players on their roster, including Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

The 76ers also added Tobias Harris last season, as well as Al Horford and Josh Richardson this summer. Together, they make up arguably the best starting five in the league.

Philadelphia was also extremely close to advancing to the Conference Finals last season. Kawhi Leonard’s miracle three-pointer was ultimately what kept them from advancing and taking on the Milwaukee Bucks, and they’ll be out to prove something in 2020.

The case for

The 76ers are long. The shortest player in their starting rotation stands at six-foot-six, and Embiid checks in right around seven. It’s going to be difficult for any team to compete with that size, let alone the Clippers.

Philly also figures to be a better three-point shooting team this season. Last year, they ranked 19th in three-point attempts and connected on 35.9 percent of those looks overall, which was good for eighth. The volume should bump up a bit this season, considering this will be Harris’ first full season with the club and Richardson and Horford are both happy to fire away from deep.

The biggest threat to any opponent is Embiid, though. Ivica Zubac doesn’t stand much of a chance against the dominating big, and he would be able to score at will against any of LA’s other bigs.

Harris isn’t much of a stopper, so Kawhi Leonard won’t struggle to score. Horford is an excellent defender though, and that could give Paul George some issues if the Clippers start him at the 4.

The 76ers are one of two teams that has a real shot to win the Eastern Conference, and since the Clippers are favored to come out of the West, it just makes sense that their potential Finals opponent would pose the biggest threat.

The case against

Leonard was a terror for the 76ers during the 2019 postseason, averaging 34.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.3 steals in their seven-game series. Even with their latest additions, they still don’t have an answer for him.

Philadelphia’s depth is also a question mark. Outside of Mike Scott and James Ennis, nothing about the Sixers bench should scare the LA Clippers. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell shouldn’t have any issues scoring on Trey Burke and Jonah Bolden.

The Clippers’ defensive studs should also neutralize a lot of Philadelphia’s offensive attack. Again, assuming LA goes with its taller, more defensive-minded starting group that includes Maurice Harkless, the trio of George, Leonard and Harkless should keep Richardson, Harris and Horford in check.

Assuming these two do meet in the Finals, the Clippers should be favored.

Next. What we learned from Kawhi Leonard's LA Clippers debut. dark

The LA Clippers have one goal in mind this season, and that’s winning a title. They’ll certainly face some challenges along the way, but if this team demonstrates the same kind of resiliency that they did last season, there will be very few teams that they won’t be able to overcome.

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