If.
A tiny phrase carrying a lot weight.
The place the Los Angeles Clippers are involved, “if” does a lot heavy lifting that even Atlas is impressed.
If James Harden can flip again the clock, if Norman Powell continues to appear to be prime Klay Thompson, if Ivica Zubac can sustain his profession greatest type, if Kawhi Leonard can stay on the courtroom.
That final “if” is an nearly everlasting query in the case of these Clippers, but when they will maintain Leonard on the ground via the playoffs, Los Angeles is a crew that completely no person ought to look ahead to going through.
As of Tuesday, the Clips sit seventh within the West, tied at 46-32 with Minnesota above them and Golden State under. They might face the upstart Houston Rockets have been the playoffs to start out in the present day, assuming L.A. wins its play-in match recreation, however might conceivably face the highest seeded Oklahoma Metropolis or their cross-town rival Lakers.
None of those groups ought to be excited at this prospect.
Regardless of getting solely 34 video games from Leonard — and about half of these the place he regarded decidedly beneath achieved — the Clippers have been amongst one of the best defenses within the NBA, presently ranked second in defensive rating at 109.0.
Kris Dunn stays a potluck offensive participant, however is elite on the different finish, rating first within the NBA is Defensive Field +/-. Derrick Jones Jr. has taken the defensive chops that helped Dallas attain the Finals final season and transferred them seamlessly to Los Angeles.
If you happen to can breach these two, you meet the slab of beef that’s Zubac. Powell isn’t any stopper however works onerous at that finish. Off the bench the Clips roll out Amir Coffey, Ben Simmons and Nicolas Batum, all plus defenders. Although Harden stays a legal responsibility as a fringe defender, he’s nonetheless stout when switched onto larger gamers down low. Introducing a immediately spry Leonard into that blend nearly feels unfair.
Over his previous 12 appearances, Leonard has regarded again to his devastating greatest, pouring in 26.2 factors (on 57/55/83 taking pictures splits, no much less), 7.2 boards, 3.3 assists and a pair of.1 steals. His capability to create separation on his drives and pullups, particularly to his left, is again. Throwing him right into a middling offense that’s far too reliant on the creation of the 35-year-old Harden might show the shot within the arm that elevates the Clippers into the higher echelons of the convention.
With Leonard taking extra of the artistic duties, Harden has slotted into the secondary function that he’s much more suited to at this stage of his profession (some could argue everything of his playoff profession). To that finish, the Clippers rank third in offensive ranking for the reason that starting of March. If the previous adage that an elite crew has to have a high 5 offense and protection holds true, the Clippers are, by definition, an elite crew.
Defensively, they will throw a five-man unit of Dunn, Simmons, Jones, Leonard and Zubac at you. Better of luck scoring on that quintet. They’ll downsize with Batum at heart when the necessity arises. Leonard’s return implies that they will generate sufficient factors with out the necessity for Harden to be on the ground with a large goal on his chest.
While the Thunder would understandably begin as favourite in a sequence in opposition to the Clips, it might have all of the makings of a Cinderella upset if however just a few issues fell L.A.’s means. A Rockets sequence can be an old school rock combat that might make 90s ball look free flowing by comparability. The Lakers ought to be quaking on the considered going through this crew.
If they will keep wholesome, the Clippers are the sleeper contender of the West.
That is a giant “if” although.
