The Los Angeles Clippers had a star-studded lineup led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George but unfortunately fell short to the Denver Nuggets in these playoffs.
Knocked out of the 2020 playoffs, the Clippers faced a huge upset when they were one of the sure short contenders to take the title home. But losing to a young & hungry Nuggets team, one might speculate whether this Clippers team might have been a bust.
Though Kawhi Leonard was fresh off winning a championship with the Toronto Raptors, it was clear that this was not the same squad he had before. Kawhi became the sole leader of the team when he was with the Raptors but this time he had to share the ball with a ball-dominant Paul George.
George can obviously come off screens and play off the ball but most of his offense comes from one on one plays against the defender. Paul George is capable of knocking down open threes but he’s more of a slashing forward who is excellent in perimeter defense and a dominant inside scorer.
The Clippers had good supporting role players that complimented Kawhi & George’s duo. A hard-nosed all defensive point guard in Patrick Beverley, a veteran forward in Marcus Morris Sr. and a young, restless Montrezl Harrell standing at center. This Clippers lineup was one of the best defensive lineups in the NBA this past season but as the Nuggets rolled over the Clippers, it only goes to show that it is anybody’s ballgame when in the playoffs.
Video: Los Angeles Clippers: A bust?
The Clippers have always had to play in the shadow of the Los Angeles Lakers but there were moments when the Clippers had a better season record compared to the Lakers. The last time the league saw any potential in the Clippers was when the big three of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan was in town. Nicknamed lob-city due to their antics on the court, they did bring a breath of fresh air to a mediocre Clippers team and even made quite a splash in the playoffs then but were eventually knocked out of the title contention.
The Los Angeles Clippers will be one of those teams that will come in harder the next season to contend for the title as they are only a few pieces away from bringing a championship to the other Los Angeles franchise. The Clippers have a strong starting lineup with one of the best 6th man in NBA history in Louis Williams. I feel that the Clippers should look to replace Marcus Morris Sr. with someone who can stretch the floor, create space for others and mainly be a threat on offense who demands constant attention of the defenders.
Not only will the Clippers come in stronger the next season, they’ll be in direct title contention if they choose to add a few more well supporting role players who can take the load off their two primary scorers and help the team on both offense and defense and will stay in contention for the next few years.
Current Superstars – Kawhi Leonard, Paul George.
Past Superstars – Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Elton Brand, Corey Maggette.
Past Legends – Bob Mcadoo, World B. Free, Danny Manning, Norm Nixon.
Suggested Read | What’s next for the Milwaukee Bucks
