This past season, the Clippers were the favourite to win the Championship for most of the season. Or at the very least get to the West Conference Finals, but they didn’t even achieve that. They lost in the second round, to the Denver Nuggets, after leading the series 3-1. Many fans thought that this would finally be the season that the Clippers win a championship. But in true Clippers fashion, they couldn’t even make it to the Conference Finals. In fact, they’re one of only 3 teams to have never made it to the Conference Finals before, the Charlotte Hornets and New Orleans Pelicans being the other 2. But this next season could be different, and here’s why.
They still have a strong roster
Going into the 2020-21 season, the Clippers still have their two stars, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. It’s these two that made them a contender in the first place, so as long as they’re on the team, they’re still a contender in my eyes. But the Clippers are more than just these two. They have Patrick Beverley, one of the best defensive guards in the league who will, night in night out, disrupt the other team’s point guard and throw them out of rhythm. They also have Lou Williams who’s arguably the best sixth man of all time. And although they’ve been fairly quiet during free agency, they managed to pick up Serge Ibaka from the Toronto Raptors. They did, unfortunately, lose Montrezl Harrell to the Lakers but Ibaka should be a good replacement.
So their starting lineup for next season will likely consist of Patrick Beverley, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris, and Serge Ibaka. A very strong lineup that will certainly contend for a championship. As well as this, the team chemistry between George and Leonard should have improved after a year of playing together. So don’t write them off for the Championship just yet.
