2014-15 Los Angeles Clippers Preview

Head coach Doc Rivers enters his second year after taking the club to the Western Conference semifinals, and while most of the key cogs return for the two-time defending Pacific Division champions, some big-name additions were made to the coaching staff.

Three-time NBA champion and longtime assistant Sam Cassell, as well as former NBA head coaches Lawrence Frank and Mike Woodson, join Rivers on the bench with the sole intention of instituting what he calls the “process.”

It’s a process that had the Clippers ever-so close to a conference finals appearance before a stunning collapse against the Thunder in Game 5 of the semis dealt a brutal blow to their title hopes.

The Clippers were ahead by seven points in the final 50 seconds on Oklahoma City’s own floor but wound up losing, 105-104, in regulation. The Thunder wrapped up the series in LA two days later.

Chris Paul, whose foul on Russell Westbrook in the closing seconds led to the winning three free throws in the Game 5 collapse, remembers it all too well and vows to make amends.

“Last year we had a great opportunity, but Game 5 was horrible and it’s no secret why we lost Game 5, but I think this year gives us an opportunity to get right back there,” Paul said at Media Day.

Paul nonetheless had another banner campaign, leading the league in assists (10.7 apg) and adding 19.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He and fellow All-Star Blake Griffin, the forefathers of “Lob City,” have evolved into more than an alley-oop waiting to happen when they joined forces three seasons ago.

The duo wound up tied for sixth in the league in total win shares with 12.2 last season.

Griffin, in particular, has developed into a much more polished scorer, particularly in his mid-range game. The high-flier finished sixth in the league in points (24.1 ppg) and was top-20 in rebounds (9.5 rpg) and field goal percentage (.528)

Veterans J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes return for another shot at an ever- elusive title, and Barnes knows the window of opportunity is closing, even on these seemingly young Clippers.

“This is our prime, and we have to really seize the moment…and take advantage of what we have here, arguably the most talented team from top to bottom in the league, the best coach in the league,” Barnes declared. “It’s our time to shine.”

An improving DeAndre Jordan rounds out the starting five, while stretch forward/center Spencer Hawes, power forward Ekpe Udoh and guard Jordan Farmar joining a supporting cast that lost regulars Willie Green and Darren Collison.

2013-14 Results: 57-25, 1st in Pacific; lost in Western Conference semifinals to Thunder.

ADDITIONS: C Spencer Hawes, PF Ekpe Udoh, G Jordan Farmar.

PROJECTED STARTING FIVE:

PG- Chris Paul SG- J.J. Redick SF- Matt Barnes PF- Blake Griffin C- DeAndre Jordan

KEY RESERVES: G Jamal Crawford, C Spencer Hawes, F Glen Davis, F Hedo Turkoglu, G Jordan Farmar,

FRONTCOURT: Griffin’s evolution from alley-oop specialist to reliable scorer has made him an elite power forward, if not THE elite power forward. He has also improved one of his flaws — his free throw shooting — by upping it to a 71.5 percent success rate, nearly a 20-percent increase from two seasons ago.

Still just 25 years old, Griffin is eager to accept a bigger role in making the Clippers a title contender.

“Every game, I want to be the guy the guys can depend on down the stretch, depend on to work hard, take care of myself and do the things I need to do,” Griffin said.

Griffin’s work ethic has appeared to influence Jordan by osmosis, as the 6- foot-11 center logged career highs across the board last season with 10.4 points, a league-best 13.6 rebounds and 2.48 blocks per game. Jordan has seemingly acknowledged his offensive limitations and focused on his strengths — alley-oops, rebounds and rim-protecting defense.

Another thorn in the side of opponents with his lock-down defense for the past 11 seasons is Barnes, who is the kind of player you love having on your team and hate going against.

BACKCOURT: With Green and Collison wearing different jerseys, there could be some lack of depth in the backcourt, especially considering the injury history of Paul and Redick.

Paul is arguably the best court general in the world and has the numbers to back up that claim — in the regular season. Entering his 10th year, Paul knows his thin playoff resume will taint his legacy unless the Clippers can make a deep run in the playoffs.

“It’s the truth, it doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not,” Paul said of his career perception. “That’s a huge deal, especially to me and us as a team.”

The Clippers will need Paul to stay fully healthy after the star point guard suffered through hamstring and shoulder injuries last season.

Likewise, Redick was limited to 35 games last season, and the Clippers will sorely need his 3-point shooting. The 30-year-old is a career 39-percent shooter from behind the arc and has improved his defensive abilities enough to justify keeping him on the floor down the stretch of close games.

BENCH: Jamal Crawford is a two-time Sixth Man of the Year and has the offensive numbers most starters covet. When in need of scoring off the bench, there’s no one better than the shoot-first, shoot-second gunner. His defensive skill set, of course, is another story unto itself.

Hawes gives the Clippers some versatility they did not have last season. Even at 7-foot-1, Hawes can make shots from the perimeter, as he showed by making 45-percent of his 3-point attempts after being traded to the Cavaliers last season. The chance of taller defenders deviating from the paint should open the floor for Paul and the rest of the guards to get to the rim.

The lack of further talent on the bench is disconcerting, though a slimmed- down Glen Davis may find some of the magic he had in Orlando and rebound into a formidable low post presence.

COACHING: Rivers has already led one team with high expectations to an NBA title, doing so with the Celtics in 2008. While there is no Big-3 in LA like he had in Boston, Paul and Griffin are first-tier superstars who just need to prove themselves in the postseason — much like the Pierce-Garnett-Allen trio six years ago.

Limiting the minutes of his veterans may prove a big task with such an unaccomplished bench. The starting five needs to stay healthy and a major injury will make Rivers’ job incredibly difficult.

Luckily he has a plethora of experienced minds at his disposal among his assistants to keep teaching the “process,” and for as much as Rivers is known as a defensive strategist, the Clippers led the lead in points per game last season (107.9) while allowing 101.0.

OUTLOOK: Anything short of the franchise’s first appearance in a conference finals will be billed as a major disappoint.

Before Paul arrived, those kind of expectations were comical for a club that missed the postseason 13 of the previous 14 years. Talent brings hope, and the Clippers just don’t have enough of it throughout their roster to challenge the likes of San Antonio and Oklahoma City for the conference crown.

Unless the Clippers are active at the trade deadline, another early summer vacation for Paul and Co. is in the cards.

Categorized in: NBA

Tags: Clippers, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Clippers