Are the Clippers a real contender?

[Clippersfan86]

Odom is done, dont hinge anything on his bum ***

He's becoming Baron Davis 2.0 unfortunately where he keeps saying all the right things but his actions don't match up. "I'm going to skip the Olympics to get into shape".... 2 months later still about 15-20 pounds overweight. It's like man what the F have you been doing all this time!? Today he told ESPN the Clippers are going to get 2010 Odom... yet he's looked like trash.

Good news for the Clippers is Bledsoe is growing faster than expected, Turiaf and Hollins don't look as pathetic as expected and Crawford seems to have bought into the team first concept and may surprise people.

[sfattahian]

yes.

don't know why the Nuggets are getting so much love, they have no go-to guy and have a lot of youth, not much playoff experience.

Clippers are underrated, they are the best team in the west considering Lakers have no bench and OKC just traded away their bench.

CLippers are rediculous, they pushed san antonio last year without billups, now they'll have him back, plus 6th man of the year candidates like JCrawford, Odom and Grant Hill. They are freaking stacked beyond belief. Hollins is underrated and is similar to Deandre Jordan.

I'm a Warriors fans, but the CLippers are the team to beat in my opinion. Time will tell, but they're the team to beat in the West no doubt. Spurs have depth too, but I lie the Clips to win the west, unless Lakers trade for a bench mid-season.

Paul/Bledsoe
Billups/Crawford/Willie Green
Butler/Hill/Matt Barnes
Griffin/Odom
Jordan/Hollins/Turiaf

[Chronz]

yes.

don't know why the Nuggets are getting so much love, they have no go-to guy and have a lot of youth, not much playoff experience.

They were sick when Danillo was available and they added the games best defender.

[Meaze_Gibson]

Yes they are a contender. Last year, I believe they could have beat the thunder if Billups was healthy. Anytime you have a team with 6 playmakers (Paul, Billups, Hill, Crawford, Bledsoe, Griffin), that team will give problems. I will say that their quest to the finals depend on the matchup. Don't think they have enough to beat the Lakers, But I think they can handle the Thunder and Spurs

[Hawkeye15]

if their bench is strong, and Blake takes a step forward, if healthy, yes, they are contenders.

[Vinylman]

to early to say if they are a legitimate contenders... but in a broad sense of course they are contenders...

give it about 25-30 games before the prognostication means anything...

keys in no particular order

1. Jordans development
2. Caron not sucking
3. Bledsoe's development
4. back up big play by the goofballs turiaf and Hollins

They have alot of upside if things come together

[Punk]

Yes, if everything goes well.

Let's put this in perspective: They had little training camp, went 13-5 with Billups/Paul, small bench with little to no defenders. They still ended up being with a middle of the pack defensive rating and well considering VDN is not a good coach...that's pretty remarkable. They finished 40-26 with 3 different 4-5 gamelosing streaks throughout the season and had injuries to Paul, Griffin, Butler and still beat Memphis.

A year later they add: Grant Hill, Crawford, rehabbed Billups, Lamar Odom (low risk/high reward), Matt Barnes, Willie Green, Ronny Turiaf, Ryan Hollins.

They are much better in every position than last year and Griffin/Jordan look improved. Basically, they were a new club with new pieces still managed to be Top 5 in the West.

People don't respect them enough, especially since their only weakness from being a championship contender is defense.

[popo85]

yes, good starting 5 with the best bench

[Blitzbolt]

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

[Guppyfighter]

yes.

don't know why the Nuggets are getting so much love, they have no go-to guy and have a lot of youth, not much playoff experience.

Clippers are underrated, they are the best team in the west considering Lakers have no bench and OKC just traded away their bench.

CLippers are rediculous, they pushed san antonio last year without billups, now they'll have him back, plus 6th man of the year candidates like JCrawford, Odom and Grant Hill. They are freaking stacked beyond belief. Hollins is underrated and is similar to Deandre Jordan.

I'm a Warriors fans, but the CLippers are the team to beat in my opinion. Time will tell, but they're the team to beat in the West no doubt. Spurs have depth too, but I lie the Clips to win the west, unless Lakers trade for a bench mid-season.

Paul/Bledsoe
Billups/Crawford/Willie Green
Butler/Hill/Matt Barnes
Griffin/Odom
Jordan/Hollins/Turiaf

Iggy is not a go to guy? He's clutch as ****.

[The goods]

I hate the clippers but can't doubt Chris Paul, so yes

[Clippersfan86]

Yes, if everything goes well.

Let's put this in perspective: They had little training camp, went 13-5 with Billups/Paul, small bench with little to no defenders. They still ended up being with a middle of the pack defensive rating and well considering VDN is not a good coach...that's pretty remarkable. They finished 40-26 with 3 different 4-5 gamelosing streaks throughout the season and had injuries to Paul, Griffin, Butler and still beat Memphis.

A year later they add: Grant Hill, Crawford, rehabbed Billups, Lamar Odom (low risk/high reward), Matt Barnes, Willie Green, Ronny Turiaf, Ryan Hollins.

They are much better in every position than last year and Griffin/Jordan look improved. Basically, they were a new club with new pieces still managed to be Top 5 in the West.

People don't respect them enough, especially since their only weakness from being a championship contender is defense.

/Thread glad to see some people know what they are talking about. Not the prediction necessarily but knowledge of what happened last year and why it SHOULD be better this year.

[Blitzbolt]

No respect?you don't deserve respect flopping and crying because of injury's will not get you any.

After last year series I all lost all my respect especially for CP3 he is a top 3 player but cry's and flops to win games it was pretty sad.

[LakersMaster24]

I really can't see them get past Thunder, Lakers, or heck even the Spurs.

[DreamShaker]

It depends on Bledsoe and DJ, the other guys will probably hover around league average

This. DJ looks very much improved on offense, hopefully he can keep those habits and avoid reverting back to the old ones. Those guy make or break them.