Teams that are ready to win championships may have some minor issues present on “the first day of school,” the season opener, but it is typically not anything close to what the LA Clippers were dealing with regarding superstar contributions, defense, and turnovers. Thus, Bill Simmons, on “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” removed the Clippers from his list of the NBA’s championship contenders.
Though Simmons could have been patient for a few more games to give the Clippers the benefit of the doubt, in their game against the Utah Jazz, being a one-time occurrence, he was not entirely wrong, as LA looked more like a team that would fight for the playoffs.
The Clippers, in one game, showed they are not on the same level as the others Simmons initially had them next to, and even some that lost their first game of the regular season, still showed more in them than LA did as far as winning championships go.
Bill Simmons was right to switch out the LA Clippers for the Houston Rockets
Though the best way to look at the LA Clippers’ first loss is to accept the fact that they were not prepared, their issues are deeply concerning and connected with the fact that they could take weeks to fully fix. Head coach Tyronn Lue will not be able to simply snap his fingers and generate instant solutions in one practice.
Furthermore, on his podcast, Bill Simmons crossed out the LA Clippers’ name from his championship competitors this season and added the Houston Rockets, who are without Fred VanVleet.
Although the Rockets lost their season opener, it was to the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. This game also went to double overtime, proving that, even when shorthanded, they can still match up with the best.
Moreover, for the Clippers to come back and take over the Rockets’ spot or the ranking of another team, they will have to make a statement. If they can end their first seven games at 6-1, with wins over the Thunder and Golden State Warriors, their loss to the Utah Jazz will be forgotten, and experts will consider them contenders again.
On the contrary, the hope of going on a six-win streak may be unrealistic, and right now, Simmons could be right. Yet that will change later in the year, as the chemistry can improve, and the practices between games will help with defense and ball security.