From here on in, it is all legit. No pretenders. No more”if a couple of things go right” aspirants. No more”maybe, only perhaps” hopefuls.
Actual, honest-to-goodness contenders only.
The Clippers, by virtue of being said after that introduction, are just one such contender.
Free of the shadow cast by Donald Sterling and imbued with the terrifying excitement and impossibly deep pockets of new owner Steve Ballmer, the Clips will seem to lock up a top-three seed in the West again. This time, tough, they’ll aspire to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The majority of the responsibility falls upon the recognizable shoulders of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, two players who could easily lead the Clips to yet another No. 1 finish in offensive performance. With Doc Rivers’ leadership and (hopefully) another step from DeAndre Jordan, L.A. is in great position for another deep playoff series.
There are concerns.
The wing positions are weak behind J.J. Redick. Matt Barnes is supposed to start at the 3, and at age 34 that there should be real concerns that his 4.2 percent (yes, 4.2% ) shooting from long range during the preseason is less a blip and more a signal his offensive game has dropped off a cliff.
Spencer Hawes has been the group’s big offseason get, and as valuable as he is as a passer and floor-spacer, he won’t frighten anybody on protection.
If the offense remains elite and Rivers can handle his frontcourt rotation wisely, the Clippers might be marginally better than they were a year ago. That may be enough for them to achieve heights they’ve never attained.
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