Surprise 2: Clippers could pull the upset with wing depth
Even without Paul George, the Los Angeles Clippers are a team loaded with talent on the wing. Between Kawhi Leonard, Terance Mann, Norman Powell, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Eric Gordon and others, the Clips are deep enough to always have playoff-tested veterans on the floor in crucial situations.
To beat a team as talented as the Suns, it will take the kind of versatile wings that LA has on their roster. Players like Batum and Mann have been in dozens of playoff games before and experienced the pressure of playing in a hostile environment with everything on the line.
Gordon and Powell are knockdown shooters that can be relied on to make a clutch shot. Not to mention there are capable defenders all over the Clippers’ roster as well. With a lethal combination of skill and experience, LA has the wings to be world beaters and challenge a star-studded team like the Suns.
In a way, the Clippers are something of the inverse to the Sacramento Kings. They may not have the flashiest players or most high-powered offense, but they bring intangibles and expertise that could give them a chance when everyone is counting them out. Time will tell, but on paper, the Clippers certainly have the potential to knock off the Western Conference favorites in round one.