Are the Clippers a real contender?

[Clippersfan86]

With the New Flopping rule they might not make the playoffs.

Grizzlies melting down, trying to trade their two "franchise" players to get out of luxury tax. Clippers 4 games ahead of the Grizzlies and have the best record in the NBA.

[kdspurman]

This thread will never go away

[Trailblazer]

In my opinion, anyone that will state that the clippers aren't truly contenders, states that only because they simply do not like the clippers....because when examining the clippers for purely basketball reasons, it is clear that they are contenders this season.

[ThaDubs]

If your comparing Clippers to the other West Coast teams, my only real argument is the fact that Clippers have had an easy schedule so far.

I compared LAC to my Jazz, if we had your schedule we would be #1 in the division against GS and LAL! You have spent so much more time at home with like 4 times where you had 3 at home in a row.

Since your losing trip, your undefeated. The only highlight of this streak is winning all 4 on the east road trip, which was nice even if it wasn't against division leaders like when Utah faced Nets/Pacers/Heat/Magic on 1 trip.

You still had over 8 easy wins out of the current streak, with only 6 on the road(w/bucks and bulls). It would be a miracle for Utah to get 10+ in a row, but not if it were on this Clippers schedule.



You easily had one of the easiest opening schedules, and its easy to win when your not flying in an airplane every night and day and playing every other day at home, then road, then home!

I predict Clippers knocked out in 1st round by Lakers(who aren't really a road team). Houston got 22 games in a row in 08, they went to playoffs, where Utah knocked them out in the first round!

So Who can stand up when its hard, and prevail when its easy? You are prevailing like you should during this time, but will you be standing high and mighty at #1 when times get tough? Jazz are keeping a .500 during all the hard times, will you?

I just wonder how playoff ready they are, and if they are ready to out beat Spurs, OKC, and Memphis? Let alone Lakers, Utah, Minn, GS, Houston, Portland, Denver, Dallas and Phoenix), any one of these other teams would make for a tough 1st round. Hell Lakers are just as scary at #8 than #1, same with Dallas.


Honestly this is the first year that I actually want to watch Clipper games.

I lol'd twice.
First when you said Jazz would be #1 in our division.
Second when you said Lakers are making the playoffs.

[Clippersfan86]

This thread will never go away

As the season gets closer to the middle point.. I legitimately am starting to think the Clippers might win the championship. Miami looks flawed as hell and I think the Clippers should be healthier and hungrier than last year. I think they will do better this time against the Spurs and will prove that their favorable matchup against OKC the last 3 years is no fluke.

I'm willing to bet anybody that the champions are coming out of the west. It's going to be either the Spurs, Thunder or Clippers this year.

[ThaDubs]

If your comparing Clippers to the other West Coast teams, my only real argument is the fact that Clippers have had an easy schedule so far.

I compared LAC to my Jazz, if we had your schedule we would be #1 in the division against GS and LAL! You have spent so much more time at home with like 4 times where you had 3 at home in a row.

Since your losing trip, your undefeated. The only highlight of this streak is winning all 4 on the east road trip, which was nice even if it wasn't against division leaders like when Utah faced Nets/Pacers/Heat/Magic on 1 trip.

You still had over 8 easy wins out of the current streak, with only 6 on the road(w/bucks and bulls). It would be a miracle for Utah to get 10+ in a row, but not if it were on this Clippers schedule.



You easily had one of the easiest opening schedules, and its easy to win when your not flying in an airplane every night and day and playing every other day at home, then road, then home!

I predict Clippers knocked out in 1st round by Lakers(who aren't really a road team). Houston got 22 games in a row in 08, they went to playoffs, where Utah knocked them out in the first round!

So Who can stand up when its hard, and prevail when its easy? You are prevailing like you should during this time, but will you be standing high and mighty at #1 when times get tough? Jazz are keeping a .500 during all the hard times, will you?

I just wonder how playoff ready they are, and if they are ready to out beat Spurs, OKC, and Memphis? Let alone Lakers, Utah, Minn, GS, Houston, Portland, Denver, Dallas and Phoenix), any one of these other teams would make for a tough 1st round. Hell Lakers are just as scary at #8 than #1, same with Dallas.


Honestly this is the first year that I actually want to watch Clipper games.

If Jazz fans had a schedule like the Warriors they would bawl. We just came off a 7 game road trip, and in January alone we face the Clippers 3 times, Memphis, Portland, Denver, Miami, San Antonio, OKC, and Chicago.
To say you would be #1 in our division is just so funny. Jazz have no talent compared to the Clippers, Lakers or Warriors. That's why the Jazz are below .500.

[kdspurman]

As the season gets closer to the middle point.. I legitimately am starting to think the Clippers might win the championship. Miami looks flawed as hell and I think the Clippers should be healthier and hungrier than last year. I think they will do better this time against the Spurs and will prove that their favorable matchup against OKC the last 3 years is no fluke.

I'm willing to bet anybody that the champions are coming out of the west. It's going to be either the Spurs, Thunder or Clippers this year.

The West is going to be so competitive. I do agree that it will be between those 3 teams in the West for sure. Only thing that'll slow one of these teams down is injuries.

Spurs/Clips would certainly be more of a series than last year. But a lot can still go down from now to the playoffs start. But as things stand right now, those 3 are the best in the league.

For the Clips/OKC, they probably will have a tough stretch (at some point?) I don't recall them having a lot of road games in a month yet or a bunch at one time. Spurs of course have their annual rodeo road trip, 9 straight road games. But in March they only have 2 road games since they had a lot early on. Winning on the road is important for sure.

[Clippersfan86]

If Jazz fans had a schedule like the Warriors they would bawl. We just came off a 7 game road trip, and in January alone we face the Clippers 3 times, Memphis, Portland, Denver, Miami, San Antonio, OKC, and Chicago.
To say you would be #1 in our division is just so funny. Jazz have no talent compared to the Clippers, Lakers or Warriors. That's why the Jazz are below .500.

Damn they dropped below .500? . Clippers and Warriors seem to have this division under control for the next decade. Lakers will always be relevant but I honestly think after the worst failure in sports history, Dwight Howard will walk, Gasol will be traded and Kobe and Nash will retire in two years. That is such a MASSIVE failure that the Lakers will need a good 5-7 years to become a good team again.

They can't even sign and trade any of these guys either because they are so massively over cap.

[BIG worm]

Clippers are totally legit....and Miami does look flawed as hell, but we say that every year around this time about Miami.

[BIG worm]

Lakers ****ed up. i dont trust jim buss as an owner. he comes off as a snake.

[ThaDubs]

Damn they dropped below .500? . Clippers and Warriors seem to have this division under control for the next decade. Lakers will always be relevant but I honestly think after the worst failure in sports history, Dwight Howard will walk, Gasol will be traded and Kobe and Nash will retire in two years. That is such a MASSIVE failure that the Lakers will need a good 5-7 years to become a good team again.

They can't even sign and trade any of these guys either because they are so massively over cap.

Actually there back at .500 since they won last game but still that's not much better haha.

[Clippersfan86]

The West is going to be so competitive. I do agree that it will be between those 3 teams in the West for sure. Only thing that'll slow one of these teams down is injuries.

Spurs/Clips would certainly be more of a series than last year. But a lot can still go down from now to the playoffs start. But as things stand right now, those 3 are the best in the league.

For the Clips/OKC, they probably will have a tough stretch (at some point?) I don't recall them having a lot of road games in a month yet or a bunch at one time. Spurs of course have their annual rodeo road trip, 9 straight road games. But in March they only have 2 road games since they had a lot early on. Winning on the road is important for sure.

Yea Spurs have had a crazy number of road games (more than home ones I think). Clippers hell period comes Jan-Feb with all the events at Staples center. They have a ton of road games in Jan and Feb. I do know I'm hoping for OKC more than the Spurs, simply because I think the Spurs give the Clippers more issues. Hopefully you guys and OKC will beat each other up in the early rounds, although a lot of that will have to do with how the dogfight for the top 3 seeds pans out.

On a nightly basis OKC, Clippers and Spurs keep switching for best record in the league. It's honestly unfair how stacked the west is. You have 3 teams that could win the title and 3 teams that if moved to the east would make the ECF at a minimum. Spurs and Clippers have matched up well with Miami so in the east I think they would be in the finals.

Let's move OKC to the eastern conference, since they are closer to the center of the US anyways.

[macc]

I would say they are easily a contender and not a team I would want to face in the playoffs. To much firepower.

[kdspurman]

The issues the Spurs give the Clipps I think is mostly mental. It's like they have that mental edge and experience factor. Because no way can they match their athleticism. Although, if they met this year the Clips could just turn the table on them.

I could see why you'd prefer OKC, I think the Clips have more weapons than they do, and Paul vs Westbrook would be pretty fun to watch. I could also see Paul trying to get in WB's head.

Getting the 1 seed would mean avoiding one of those other 2 teams will potentially the WCF. It'll be interesting to see, the West is always so tough. But to be the best you have to beat the best

[Clippersfan86]

The issues the Spurs give the Clipps I think is mostly mental. It's like they have that mental edge and experience factor. Because no way can they match their athleticism. Although, if they met this year the Clips could just turn the table on them.

I could see why you'd prefer OKC, I think the Clips have more weapons than they do, and Paul vs Westbrook would be pretty fun to watch. I could also see Paul trying to get in WB's head.

Getting the 1 seed would mean avoiding one of those other 2 teams will potentially the WCF. It'll be interesting to see, the West is always so tough. But to be the best you have to beat the best

Clippers are significantly better defensively than OKC and neutralize their biggest strengths while capitalizing on their weaknesses. Also remember Billups and Hill have been out all year and are returning. Hill likely makes his debut tonight, Billups likely returns in 2 weeks.

OKC's weaknesses are ball movement, scoring in the paint and turnovers. Wrong weaknesses to have against the Clippers who are..

A. Unstoppable when they have time to react defensively. Teams like the Spurs, Wolves, Warriors give them issues because they swing the ball so well and have so many shooters unlike OKC.

B. Blake and DJ can stay out of foul trouble easily when guarding Ibaka and Perkins in the paint which changes the entire game in H2H. Also DJ has his way with OKC because he's just way too big and athletic for Perkins.

C. The biggest problem for OKC vs the Clippers is their propensity to turn the ball over. It just so happens that the Clippers lead the NBA in turnovers forced, steals and converting those steals into buckets.


Additionally no other team in the NBA had 3 capable defensive SF's to throw at Durant (Hill, Barnes, Butler) that can all make him work and wear him down.



I agree all of the issues vs the Spurs come down to experience and the mental game. Coaching edge, experience as a unit and overall team IQ pose a problem for the young athletic teams. Then again the Clippers are much much better than last year.