No. 1 reason why the LA Clippers will be better than the LA Lakers again: Court spacing
There’s nothing I can say against what the spacing on the floor will be like for the LA Clippers coming into this season, but there’s plenty I can say against the Lakers’ court spacing.
They just traded for Russell Westbrook, who is just as ball dominant as LeBron James and just as aggressive in his shot-taking as James, at least for his position.
The two of them have very similar offensive identities in that sense, and trying to have one sacrifice their identity for the other won’t go well.
It already didn’t work when Westbrook went to Houston and tried to co-exist with James Harden.
The Clippers don’t have any potential conflicts like that, and are able to spread out well around the perimeter while having the quickness to slash when the defense all comes out around the perimeter.
The players on the Clippers work well together. It’s why they didn’t make a ton of splashes this offseason. Their team fits.
The Lakers still can’t relate.