The Los Angeles Clippers have already blown expectations out of the water this offseason and can continue that trend by adding external pieces.
The Los Angeles Clippers were not expected to be a playoff team in 2019, with some expecting the Clippers to even be a high lottery pick. Unless you are an overly optimistic fan of the team, it is safe to say that the Clippers blew everyone’s expectations out of the water.
The Los Angeles Clippers have come back down to earth a tad but still enjoyed a decent run atop the Western Conference earlier in the year and are still a playoff team.
The Clippers have fallen down to the sixth seed with their 21-16 record. However, the fourth seed is just a half-game ahead of the Clippers, the second seed is three and a half games ahead. It is more than safe to say that the Clippers can regain that lost ground in the West.
However, it will be the playoffs that are somewhat worrisome for the Clippers, despite the early success. This Clippers team is thriving because of the depth, defense and every single player on the team knowing their roles.
Great depth is still important but is far less important in the playoffs when your best guys need to be on the court. The team should hold up defensively but the well-oiled machine won’t run as well.
Teams with depth and no real star very rarely find extended success in the playoffs. In the Clippers case, being in the Western Conference means that no matter what, the Clippers will have a tough first-round matchup.
And when that happens, the team does not really have a lone guy that can take over and bring the team back into things. While Tobias Harris and Lou Williams can both step up, it simply is not the same.
The chances of landing a star that can take over are slim; it would have to be Bradley Beal or someone like Kemba Walker, if the Charlotte Hornets are interested, of course.
However, the front office can go out and add 2-3 more role players that can complement these guys and add a new dynamic to the team. That is what you need in the postseason. Sooner or later teams are going to figure the Clippers out and the same style of basketball will not be as affected.
Either way, if the Los Angeles Clippers make the playoffs then the team is going to need some fresh faces in order to get the job done.
Source: “Los Angeles” – Google News