Here are three things the LA Clippers can do to dethrone the Lakers.
As predicted by analysts across the country, the NBA Finals were won by a team from Los Angeles. No, it wasn’t the LA Clippers as many of us hoped but instead the Los Angeles Lakers. Led by LeBron James, the team proved they were not only the best in the West but the entire league.
After the game, LeBron declared that he has a lot left in the tank, signifying that he expects himself, Anthony Davis, and the rest of the team to be back to defend their title next season. The Clippers still have Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, so what do they need to dethrone the Lakers?
Here are three of those things.
How the LA Clippers can dethrone the Lakers: Keep the focus
This seems like such a simple concept but one that the Clippers absolutely have to remember next season. The Clips have to keep focused and let their game do the talking. They also have to stay mentally strong, should the season occur in a bubble at any time.
The latter is easier said than done. From Paul George admitting to being in a dark place in the first round to Danny Green of the Lakers speaking on how tough staying in there had been, it became very apparent that the bubble was not easy living for most. The NBA seems adamant to return to hometown markets next season so hopefully, this won’t be an issue.
Even so, it’s hard to imagine arenas will be at full capacity and that the season will feel “normal” so the Clippers need to make sure they are mentally prepared for that. Perhaps Steve Ballmer can invest in things to help the team psychologically.
As for letting their game do the talking, we covered that a bit already. The team was very, very vocal after the additions of Kawhi and PG in the summer preceding this season and continued to talk for most of the year. While Clipper fans enjoyed it and often joined in, it all came back to haunt us when the team blew their 3-1 lead. It’s one thing to talk after you have accomplished something but talking trash before you have won anything is not a good look. I would have to imagine this postseason humbled the team and they have learned to just play and compete before saying anything else.