From here on in, it’s all legit. No pretenders. No”if a few things go right” aspirants. No”maybe, just perhaps” hopefuls.
Actual contenders only.
The Clippers, by virtue of being mentioned after that debut, are one competition.
Free of the shadow cast by Donald Sterling and imbued with the terrifying excitement and impossibly deep pockets of fresh owner Steve Ballmer, the Clips will look to lock up a top-three seed from the West again. This time, tough, they will hope to progress to the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The bulk of the responsibility falls upon the familiar shoulders of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, two players who could easily lead the Clips to yet another No. 1 finish in offensive performance. With Doc Rivers’ leadership and (hopefully) another measure from DeAndre Jordan, L.A. is in excellent position for yet another deep playoff series.
There are concerns, though.
The wing positions are somewhat feeble behind J.J. Redick. Matt Barnes is slated to start in the 3, and at age 34 there ought to be real worries that his 4.2 percentage (yes, 4.2 percent) shooting from long range during the preseason is not as a blip and more a sign that 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 will not frighten anybody on protection.
If the offense remains elite and Rivers may manage his frontcourt rotation wisely, the Clippers could be marginally better than they were a year ago. That might be enough for them to reach heights they have never attained.

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