Los Angeles Clippers: 8-1

From here , it is all untrue. No pretenders. No more”if a couple of things go right” aspirants. No”maybe, just maybe” hopefuls.
Real, honest-to-goodness contenders only.
The Clippers, by virtue of being mentioned after that introduction, are just one such contender.
Free of the shadow cast by Donald Sterling and imbued with all the terrifying excitement and deep pockets of fresh owner Steve Ballmer, the Clips will seem to lock up a top-three seed from the West again. This time, tough, they’ll hope to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The bulk of the responsibility falls on the recognizable shoulders of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, two players who may readily lead the Clips to yet another No. 1 end in offensive efficiency. Together with Doc Rivers’ direction and (hopefully) another measure from DeAndre Jordan, L.A. is in excellent position for yet another deep playoff run.
There are concerns.
The wing positions are feeble behind J.J. Redick. Matt Barnes is supposed to start at the 3, and at age 34 there ought to be real concerns that his 4.2 percent (yes, 4.2% ) shooting from long range during the preseason is less a blip and more a signal that his offensive game has dropped off a cliff.
Spencer Hawes has been the team’s big offseason get, and as precious as he is as a passer and floor-spacer, he won’t frighten anybody on protection.
If the offense remains elite and Rivers may manage his frontcourt rotation wisely, the Clippers might be marginally better than they were a year ago. That might be sufficient for them to reach heights they’ve never reached before.

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