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 seem like prime Klay Thompson, if Ivica Zubac can sustain his profession finest type, if Kawhi Leonard can stay on the court docket.
That final “if” is an nearly everlasting query on the subject of these Clippers, but when they will hold Leonard on the ground by the playoffs, Los Angeles is a staff that completely no person ought to sit up for dealing with.
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 had been the playoffs to begin immediately, assuming L.A. wins its play-in match recreation, however may conceivably face the highest seeded Oklahoma Metropolis or their cross-town rival Lakers.
None of those groups needs to be excited at this prospect.
Regardless of getting solely 34 video games from Leonard — and about half of these the place he seemed decidedly beneath performed — the Clippers have been amongst the very best defenses within the NBA, at present 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.
For those who can breach these two, you meet the slab of beef that’s Zubac. Powell isn’t any stopper however works exhausting 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 seemed again to his devastating finest, pouring in 26.2 factors (on 57/55/83 capturing splits, no much less), 7.2 boards, 3.3 assists and a couple 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 may 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 position that he’s way more suited to at this stage of his profession (some might argue the whole thing 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 staff has to have a prime 5 offense and protection holds true, the Clippers are, by definition, an elite staff.
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 middle when the necessity arises. Leonard’s return signifies that they will generate sufficient factors with out the necessity for Harden to be on the ground with an enormous goal on his chest.
While the Thunder would understandably begin as favourite in a sequence in opposition to the Clips, it could have all of the makings of a Cinderella upset if however a number of issues fell L.A.’s method. A Rockets sequence can be an old school rock struggle that might make 90s ball look free flowing by comparability. The Lakers needs to be quaking on the considered dealing with this staff.
If they will keep wholesome, the Clippers are the sleeper contender of the West.
That is a giant “if” although.
