Foster: Expect Clippers to define their identity

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Three teams last year finished in the top-10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. The title-winning Miami Heat was one of those teams. The runner-up San Antonio Spurs was another. The third team? The Los Angeles Clippers.


The Heat and Spurs will be remembered as two of the great teams of this era, but the Clippers, great as they were over 82 games, will be remembered for weaving a cautionary tale. This was a team of generalists in the heyday of specialists; a team that showed that simply being great isn’t always good enough.


Hunt for the scapegoat all you’d like, but the Clippers’ fatal flaw last year had to do more with what was missing rather than who was present on the court or sidelines. This was a great team, but it was a team without an identity or defined style of play. The Clippers often happily agreed to play the game exactly the way their opponents wanted to, sometimes to a baffling degree. Still, relying on being better from a talent perspective -- regardless of the terms of engagement – worked just fine most nights.

As soon as Paul stepped off the court last year, the Clippers morphed into a completely different team. To that point, the Clippers two most used units were an all-starter and all-bench lineup. The Clippers first string played at a pace of 91.86, but the second unit sped things way up to 96.24. Both units were incredibly successful, but that two different lineups on the same team could be so drastically different on both ends of the court was telling.

Of course, the Clippers front office knows that, and there’s probably a reason why Paul has always played on slow teams and been flanked by a very specific type of player throughout his entire career. In Redick and Dudley, Paul might have the most talent on the wing next to him he’s ever had. Perhaps more importantly, Redick and Dudley fit right in with Paul’s mistake-free, possession optimizing style better than anyone else has as well. These are limited players athletically who will struggle without structure, but Redick and Dudley both know who they are and what they do best. That kind of self-awareness is required in places like Miami and San Antonio, and there’s a reason for that.

DJ Foster, ESPN Los Angeles

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Paul might have the most talent on the wing next to him he’s ever had. Perhaps more importantly, Redick and Dudley fit right in with Paul’s mistake-free, possession optimizing style better than anyone else has as well. These are limited players athletically who will struggle without structure, but Redick and Dudley both know who they are and what they do best. That kind of self-awareness is required in places like Miami and San Antonio, and there’s a reason for that.

I think this is what stood out in the article to me. The guys they surrounded Paul with are great role players, and they seem to fit seemlessly with Paul. I'm very excited for this upcoming season