At the moment seventh within the Western Convention, the Los Angeles Clippers are simple to put in writing off as nothing greater than first-round fodder. In spite of everything, they don’t even technically have a playoff spot but — caught within the Play-In Event for the time being — and share a convention with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers and the abruptly unbeatable Golden State Warriors.
Regardless of all this, I can’t appear to stop the Clippers. To me, not solely do they stand in the way in which of a Western Convention Semifinals berth for somebody, the Clippers are one of the vital harmful groups within the West and right here’s why.
Depth And Versatility
On the danger of being the dude who’s simply naming names, the Clippers have a stacked forged. There are the plain ones like Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac. However there’s additionally a cavalcade of defense-first wings: Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Amir Coffey and Nicolas Batum. And the trio of commerce deadline veterans they added in Bogdan Bogdanovic, Ben Simmons and Drew Eubanks.
By my depend, that’s 11 gamers the Clippers can realistically flip to for minutes in a playoff collection. Most groups are comfortable to have eight or 9 of these guys. Heck, some may argue the Nuggets solely have six of these gamers.
Not solely does having a number of our bodies enable groups to maintain guys brisker, it additionally lets them play many various kinds. Within the postseason, the most effective staff doesn’t all the time win. Basketball turns into extra like boxing, and it’s the distinction in kinds that makes the struggle. The Clippers’ numerous roster makes them extra geared up than nearly anybody to deal with a wide range of opponents.
In opposition to the Nuggets, Houston Rockets or Minnesota Timberwolves, the Clippers can go huge with Zubac at heart. In the event that they face the Thunder or Grizzlies, they will play two of their 4 wing defenders to assist them fight all of the spacing and talent they’ll must take care of versus these groups. And in the event that they play the Warriors or Lakers, they will go small by enjoying Simmons on the 5. The purpose is that they have loads of choices.
Two-Manner Stability
To make a deep postseason run, groups typically must fall beneath one (or extra) of three buckets. They have to be an elite offense, an elite protection or balanced on each side of the ball (prime 10 in each offensive and defensive score, for instance).
The Clippers protection’ is superb, however at fourth in defensive score, it doesn’t essentially represent as elite. In the meantime, their season-long offense is nearer to common than superior (18th in offensive score).
Nonetheless, an enormous motive their offense has waned a lot is that they have spent a big a part of the season with out their greatest offensive weapon in full kind. Kawhi Leonard has solely performed 26 of the Clippers’ final 69 video games. He’s performed in six of their final 10, although, and in that span, we’ve gotten a glimpse at simply how dynamic this Clippers staff is at max energy.
Kawhi Leonard in 8 March video games: 25.1 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.1 steals, 40% from 3, 59% TS pic.twitter.com/lh7eOcxL7Y
— Sportscasting NBA (@SportcastingNBA) March 19, 2025
Over their final eight video games, the Clippers boast the league’s second-best offensive score, sixth-best defensive score and third-best web score — the precise sort of footprint we’ve seen from previous contenders.
Elite Lineup Choices
To be a real contender, not solely does it behoove groups to have a deep bench or slot in one of many three bins outlined above, in addition they must have a lineup that may go blow-for-blow with the fiercest groups within the affiliation.
That assertion alone sounds slightly nebulous. How can a staff know if its greatest lineup really meets the edge needed to present it a shot on the trophy?
Final 12 months, I attempted to reply this query. What I discovered was 19 of the final 21 NBA Champions had an everyday season lineup that includes most/all of their greatest gamers with 300 or extra non-garbage time possessions collectively and posted some extent differential of at the very least plus-9.0 per 100 possessions (per Cleansing the Glass).
The Clippers have that of their five-man unit of Harden, Powell, Jones, Leonard and Zubac. That group has performed 377 possessions collectively and is plus-24.4 per 100 possessions. It’s the second-highest mark of any five-player lineup with 300 possessions within the NBA this season.
Is This Lastly The Clippers’ Yr?
All this comes with the identical caveat hooked up to the Clippers for the final six years: in the event that they keep wholesome. There isn’t a assure Leonard lastly makes it by means of a postseason unscathed, that Harden — who’s carried a considerable load all 12 months — doesn’t run out of gasoline the additional they advance or Powell’s hamstring harm hasn’t zapped him of the pop fueling his particular begin to 2024-25.
In truth, it’s greater than possible a number of these issues go unsuitable and the Clippers’ season flames out the identical approach it has for years now. However on the off likelihood the celebrities lastly determine to align for them, I wouldn’t depend them out of the combination simply but. They’ve all of the instruments essential to journey deep into the postseason.
