The Los Angeles Clippers went through a bad time when James Harden arrived, but that is behind them. In fact, it seems like a very distant step. The team won 17 of the last 20 games and thus reached the unlikely leadership of their conference. But can you really trust this team? The controversial Stephen A. Smith believes so, as he sees the Clippers as the biggest obstacle to the Denver Nuggets’ defense of the West title.
“The biggest threat to Denver’s second championship is the Clippers. It’s the biggest rival at the moment, certainly. If Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are healthy in the playoffs, it will all revolve around whether James performs well or not. I have no doubt, after all, that these two will deliver in the knockout stage. I know what James can do, so if he appears in the playoffs, this team can be champions”, said the commentator for ESPN.
The numbers support the Clippers’ great phase. The team has the best offense in the NBA in the last 15 games, while scoring more than 125 points per 100 possessions. In January, in addition to the most efficient offensive system, it also registered a TOP 10 defense in the league. Smith’s teammate Kendrick Perkins is also excited about the team. But it’s Leonard’s performances that make him most optimistic.
“Kawhi is the most important piece for the team to be champions, as he has already won the finals MVP twice. And, more than that, he proved that he has the ability to be the best player in any playoff series. He doesn’t shy away from the challenge on both ends of the court. Besides, he hadn’t seen him this happy in a long time. This guy has everything it takes to carry this team to the NBA title. That’s my bet today”, revealed the former player.
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Fator Westbrook
One of the turning points of the Clippers’ campaign came through Russell Westbrook. The star asked to leave the bench and, as a result, the Angelinos rose in performance. It was an unexpected attitude on the part of the star and, therefore, Smith imagines that he receives little attention. The commentator sees a player who has shed his ego, but still maintains the same dedication on the court.
“We don’t give Russell enough credit at this point as he deserves a lot of praise. Of course Norman Powell and Terance Mann are good, but it’s Russell who has made the sacrifices. He agreed to come off the bench, became someone who energizes the team and, above all, is a leader within the locker room. This guy simply doesn’t allow them to play with just half a foot on the accelerator”, explained the veteran analyst.
For Smith, Westbrook’s stance on the Clippers serves to break years of prejudice about him in the NBA. “Russell has received a lot of criticism over the years from all of us. But this must end now. After all, since this guy wore the team’s shirt, he has only made them better. This team only has one chance to be champion because of him”, he said.
Without weakening
One issue that always weighs against betting on a competitive Clippers is history. After all, the team has a long list of recent disappointments. Furthermore, he has never reached an NBA final before. For Smith and Perkins’ fellow commentator, Shannon Sharpe, this can’t go unnoticed. The Clippers will be the Nuggets’ great rival for the West title if it is complete, but also not “deny fire”.
“Kawhi is the main player, but they need both to reach the top. I’m looking forward, then, to seeing Kawhi and Paul on the court together in the playoffs. This is the way. And, furthermore, hope that they don’t ‘weak’. After all, in that series against Denver in the ‘bubble’, there is no other word to describe what happened. In short, they ‘weakened’”, said the analyst.
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