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Season Predictions 2016: Clippers

Season Predictions 2016

Current seeding: 4th
Projected seeding: 4th

As strange as this is to say -- considering that superstar PF Blake Griffin is still injured and well, they’re the Clippers -- but LA is in a pretty comfortable spot right now. Catching OKC for the 3-spot is impossible, but as is sliding back to the fifth seed, as Memphis been decimated by injuries and trades. Thus the Clippers can actually coast to the end of the regular season, gradually work Blake back, and prepare for hopefully a deep playoff run. Superstar PG Chris Paul has stepped up into an even bigger role than usual with Griffin out, C DeAndre Jordan -- while still not hitting free throws -- is pulling his weight, and guys like SG J.J Reddick (16.8 points per game), SG Jamal Crawford (13.6 ppg), and new acquisition Jeff Green (11.8) have all been providing capable wing scoring and outside shooting. Thus the team has kept their head above water with Blake out, but considering their already razor-thin frontcourt rotation, they’ll need him back if they want to finally make a run this season.

First round: Memphis Grizzlies (5)

Lucky for them, the Clippers get a pretty easy matchup in the first round -- one they can win with or without Blake Griffin, even. As mentioned above, Memphis has basically had their entire starting five picked apart: PG Mike Conley and PF Zach Randolph are missing time due to injuries as we speak, C Marc Gasol is already out for the season, and SG Courtney Lee as well as (obviously) SF/PF Jeff Green have been traded away for future assets. Chris Paul’s point guard matchup will literally be against Briante Weber. Enough said.

Prediction: Los Angeles wins, 4-0

Second round: Golden State Warriors (1)

Talk about “zero to 100, real quick.” After a cupcake-matchup against the beyond depleted Grizzlies -- perhaps the very worst playoff team due to all of their injuries -- the Clippers will now have to take on the rival Warriors -- probably the very best playoff team. Any conversation about taking on Golden State will always start with the same question: “What can your team possibly do to stop PG Stephen Curry and SG Klay Thompson?” LA has a better answer to that than most. While nobody can actually slow down the unstoppable Steph Curry, CP3 may just be the most qualified point guard in the league for the job, as he can hang with Curry on both ends of the court. Containing Klay is a less impossible -- but still very difficult -- task, and the Clippers can run out of capable wing defenders very quickly. Even though they have DeAndre Jordan to hold down the paint and limit some of the guards’ drives, you can expect Curry and Thompson to have a combined average of about 50 points per game in this series.

Thus getting something going on offense will be paramount for LA, and they should have Blake Griffin back by this point. He’ll have to be guarded by PF/SF Draymond Green, however, who could very well be the best defender in basketball. The LA offense starts and ends with Chris Paul, relying on him not just for his 20 points per game, but for his 10 assists per game: setting up the offense as a whole. Wingmen like Redick, Crawford, and Green will have to provide a key scoring punch, as will the Clipper bench if it hopes to hang in with Golden State’s elite second-unit.

In all, this should be a very fun, exciting, and high-scoring series between Pacific Division rivals. One of the main factors that I think the matchup will really come down to is rebounds -- simply who will have more possessions in this game, who will get more shots up. Golden State ranks 9th in rebound rate. The Clippers? Second to last.

Prediction: Golden State wins, 4-3
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