- South Florida men’s basketball is on an unbelievable heater– but also still on the bubblePosted 2 months ago
- Kobe Bufkin is balling out for Atlanta Hawks’ G League team. When will he be called up to NBA?Posted 3 months ago
- Former Knicks guards Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett may yet prove Raptors won the OG Anunoby tradePosted 4 months ago
- Rebounding savant Oscar Tshiebwe finally gets NBA chance he’s deserved for yearsPosted 5 months ago
- Is Tyrese Maxey vs. Tyrese Haliburton the next great NBA guard rivalry?Posted 6 months ago
- The Detroit Pistons are going to be a problem in a few yearsPosted 6 months ago
- March Madness hero, ex-Fairleigh Dickinson guard Demetre Roberts joins Austin Spurs’ G League training camp rosterPosted 6 months ago
- Cam Thomas is balling out once again. Will he finally stay in the Nets’ lineup?Posted 6 months ago
- Former NBA lottery pick Elfrid Payton lights up Raptors as emergency replacement for Australia’s Cairns TaipansPosted 6 months ago
- How does Damian Lillard compare to Jrue Holiday on defense?Posted 7 months ago
2012-13 NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers
- Updated: October 21, 2012
3. Los Angeles Clippers
HOW THEY CAN WIN: We can’t believe it either, but the Clippers have a legitimate shot to reach the NBA Finals. Chris Paul (19.8 ppg, 9.1 apg) is almost unquestionably the best point guard in the league, and proved as such during the Olympics. Coach K trusted Paul to log more minutes than anyone else on the team, including LeBron. Blake Griffin (20.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg) could take another step towards becoming an elite player this season, and the supporting cast is vastly improved with the additions of Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford, and the veteran Grant Hill. Chauncey Billups also returns from injury.
WHY THEY WON’T: The Clippers were exposed by the Spurs in the Western Conference semis last season, completely taken apart by San Antonio’s defense. Blake Griffin has shown some glaring weaknesses in his game, including free throw shooting. He’s also a below-average defender for his size and should be more of a shot-blocker than he is.
FINAL DESTINATION: The Clips’ final destination will depend on Griffin’s continued improvement. If he becomes more than a gifted scorer and freakish dunker, this team has a chance to compete for the NBA title. The new supporting cast brings invaluable experience, so this team won’t wilt in the playoffs again.
OUR CALL: 55-27.
| TEAM ROSTER | |||||||
| NO. | NAME | POS | AGE | HT | WT | COLLEGE | 2012-2013 SALARY |
| 22 | Matt Barnes | SF | 32 | 6-7 | 226 | UCLA | $854,389 |
| 1 | Chauncey Billups | PG | 36 | 6-3 | 210 | Colorado | $4,000,000 |
| 20 | Marqus Blakely | SF | 23 | 6-5 | 225 | Vermont | $788,872 |
| 12 | Eric Bledsoe | PG | 22 | 6-1 | 195 | Kentucky | $1,707,720 |
| 5 | Caron Butler | SF | 32 | 6-7 | 228 | Connecticut | $8,000,000 |
| 11 | Jamal Crawford | SG | 32 | 6-5 | 200 | Michigan | $5,000,000 |
| 34 | Willie Green | SG | 31 | 6-3 | 201 | Detroit | $1,475,106 |
| 32 | Blake Griffin | PF | 23 | 6-10 | 251 | Oklahoma | $7,226,892 |
| 33 | Grant Hill | SF | 40 | 6-8 | 225 | Duke | $1,975,000 |
| 15 | Ryan Hollins | C | 28 | 7-0 | 240 | UCLA | $854,389 |
| 24 | Chris Johnson | SF | 22 | 6-6 | 201 | Dayton | |
| 6 | DeAndre Jordan | C | 24 | 6-11 | 265 | Texas A&M | $10,532,977 |
| 23 | Travis Leslie | PG | 22 | 6-4 | 205 | Georgia | $762,195 |
| 7 | Lamar Odom | PF | 32 | 6-10 | 230 | Rhode Island | $8,200,000 |
| 3 | Chris Paul | PG | 27 | 6-0 | 175 | Wake Forest | $17,779,458 |
| 44 | Trent Plaisted | PF | 26 | 6-11 | 245 | Brigham Young | |
| 9 | Trey Thompkins | PF | 22 | 6-10 | 245 | Georgia | $762,195 |
| 10 | Hank Thorns | G | 23 | 5-9 | 165 | TCU | |
| 21 | Ronny Turiaf | C | 29 | 6-10 | 249 | Gonzaga | $854,389 |
| Coach: Vinny Del Negro |
Pingback: 2012-13 NBA Preview: Los Angeles Clippers | JockSpin.com Sports News and Opinion Aggregator and Publisher