It was guaranteed to be a different season for the LA Clippers from the start. When word that Kawhi Leonard would be sidelined to begin the year got out, fans immediately began thinking about which players would step up to fill the void.
Or should I say, the increasingly bigger void. A roster hole was already created when Paul George opted to leave Los Angeles for Philadelphia in free agency. A shift in the balance of power was imminent, and we have seen plenty of interesting developments take place in its wake.
The Clippers lost their first three games at Intuit Dome, becoming road warriors but struggling in their new building. Now, after picking up their level of play at home and as winners of four games in a row, LA has established much more of a team identity than they had at the start of the season. These are three players that have surprised fans for one reason or another in the 2024-25 campaign.
Norman Powell
We are running out of adjectives to describe Norman Powell's play at this point. He currently stands as the Clippers' leading scorer, and he is yet to truly have an off night through 10 games. He has brought his shooting prowess every time out for LA, averaging 25.5 points with jaw-dropping shooting splits of 51% from the floor and 49% from three.
When Powell made his big statement at media day about Paul George's departure being addition by subtraction, I am not sure many were ready for him to back up his words with his play like he has done. Norm has been the Clippers' lifeline offensively, and his shot-making will continue elevating this group.
Kris Dunn
An offseason addition that was largely overlooked by both the Clippers' fanbase as well as the national media, Kris Dunn has been positively fantastic in his first 10 games with the franchise. His defense is his calling card, and he has done an excellent job of stifling opposing guards, which is what was expected of him.
But on the offensive side of things, Dunn's shooting efficiency is off the charts. He is shooting 57% overall, which ranks first among all nine players on the roster to appear in all 10 games so far. He is also burning up the nets from outside, shooting a red-hot 45.8% from three-point range, which has been a massive lift for the Clippers' spacing.