Oct 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Josh Smith (right) reacts with center DeAndre Jordan (6) and guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Clippers will win the West
The Los Angeles Clippers are a good team. Have been good, and will continue to be good. Winning the West? I have a real tough time seeing that. They made the roster additions over the summer that would have at least gotten them to the West finals last season, but it may be too late now.
They added an aging but still very useful, as he showed in the playoffs, Paul Pierce, Wes Johnson, Lance Stephenson and Josh Smith. They also added veterans Luc Mbah a Moute and Pablo Prigioni. They re-signed DeAndre Jordan and Austin Rivers.
Is that enough?
Like I said, it may have been last year. It probably would have been good enough to not lose three straight to the Rockets in the West semis, but can that roster compete to that level this season? The bench and overall depth is much better, but Stephenson is still a question mark and how much can they really get out of that small forward position?
Can they beat the Spurs with LaMarcus Aldridge, a healthy Thunder team, an even more stacked Rockets roster, and the defending NBA Champion Warriors? Chris Paul is awesome, and Jordan is too by extension of that. Blake Griffin is incredible.
But I have a really tough time saying the Clippers will beat all of those teams, and none of those rosters even include Marc Gasol, Anthony Davis, and, yes, Rudy Gobert.
Next: New Playoff Team in the West?