What is the biggest threat to the team?
For the LA Clippers, it’s not a given that the team’s biggest threat is another team in the NBA. It may seem silly to say, but after what we saw last season, the biggest problem could come from the inside.
Last season, there was a lot of talking from our guys, and as was infamously documented, chemistry issues helped sink the team. How much of that can be attributed to Doc Rivers and Montrezl Harrell, who are no longer on the team? So far, it seems like most of it, but those issues don’t pop up when things are going well like they have been lately.
When the going gets rough, it’s going to be very telling to see how the team responds. All signs are positive now, but the world will be watching if the Clippers lose a couple bad games in a row at some point in the season.
If they do keep their chemistry in check and perform at their best (two big ifs), there aren’t many teams in the league that can match up to the Clips and pose a serious threat. The obvious contender is the Lakers, but teams like the Jazz can at least match up physically.
That said, my best guess is that the biggest threat to the Clippers is still themselves. It’s possible that they’ll be outplayed at their best, for sure. The Clippers are not an unbeatable team. But if the season ends without a title coming to the good LA team, my money is on it being because those internal issues started coming back.