From here , it’s all legit. No pretenders. No”if a few things go right” aspirants. No more”maybe, only perhaps” hopefuls.
Actual, honest-to-goodness contenders only.
The Clippers, by virtue of being said after that debut, are just one contender.
Free of the shadow cast by Donald Sterling and imbued with the terrifying excitement and deep pockets of fresh owner Steve Ballmer, the Clips will look to lock a top-three seed in the West again. This moment, tough, they’ll aspire to progress to the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The bulk of the responsibility falls upon the recognizable shoulders of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, two players who could easily lead the Clips to another No. 1 end in offensive efficiency. With Doc Rivers’ leadership and (hopefully) another step from DeAndre Jordan, L.A. is in great position for another deep playoff series.
There are concerns, though.
The wing positions are weak behind J.J. Redick. Matt Barnes is slated to begin in the 3, and at age 34 that there should be real worries that his 4.2 percent (yes, 4.2% ) shooting from long range during the preseason is less a blip and more a sign his offensive game has dropped off a cliff.
Spencer Hawes has been the team’s big offseason get, and as valuable as he is as a passer and floor-spacer, he won’t frighten anybody on protection.
If the offense remains elite and Rivers may handle his frontcourt rotation wisely, the Clippers could be slightly better than they were a year ago. That may be enough for them to reach heights they’ve never attained.

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