Record: 20-62 (unless they prove otherwise, see
Biggest Surprise)
Why: The 2007-08 Boston Celtics championship team had a 66-16 record under the first year of the Big 3 of Allen-Pierce-Garnett. The year before, they were 24-58. That's a difference of 42 wins! After Doc's first year here in L.A., the Clips only gained an extra win after Vinny Del Negro's 56-26 season, regressing in win totals every year since (57 in 2014, 56 in 2015, 53 in 2016, 51 in 2017). Even his Big 3 Celtics were not immune to seasonal regression (66 in 2008, 62 in 2009, 50 in 2010, 56 in 2011, 39 of 66 in 2012 lockout, 41 of 81 played in 2013 due to Boston bombings). The jump from 24 to 66 was due primarily to the farm trade of five players for Kevin Garnett. By that logic, because Doc was involved in a reverse farm trade of Chris Paul for seven players, the Clippers are going to drop off huge.
Now you know why I've been very pessimistic and doomsday about the Clippers off-season.
Seed/Lottery Position: 15th in west
Why: Since the Warriors first championship in 2015, the average win total for the 30th seed was approximately 15 (15 by Timberwolves, 10 by 76ers, 20 by Nets in chronological order). The competitive nature out west will prevent the Clippers from ever going under 30 wins, let alone 20. Even in Jerry West's first year with the Dubs, they were a lottery team (36-46 in 2011), but they've rebuilt the squad pretty nicely two years later, and now they can't be stopped. Give the Clippers a year. For now, let's watch them do what they do best: entertain the league with highlight reel plays. They need to be lovable again.
Biggest Surprise: Clipper fans believe, make the playoffs as 8th seed,
and break the curse by avenging their 3-1 loss to Rockets with a 3-0 miracle comeback
Why: The 2016 season proved that curses exist, and they can be broken. No team in NBA history had ever recovered from a 3-1 Finals deficit, until the Cleveland Cavaliers rewrote the history books by vanquishing a record that was once deemed unbreakable. For the Clippers, it would take proving my prediction wrong by campaigning for the 8th seed. Clipperholics beat writer Garrett Chorpenning wrote about how this Clippers team has the potential of
disrupting the playoffs as a 6th seed and upsetting the Rockets. In my opinion, I'd prefer the Clippers drawing the Rockets in the 2nd round because there's more on the line there than in the 1st round:
1. Avenging their 3-1 collapse and nearly losing DeAndre to the Mavericks?
Check.
2. Being forced to defeat the very player who finally made them relevant in Chris Paul?
Check, but in chess terms. The Clippers have a history of punishing themselves for failing to get the job done, their actions feel more like a gift than an earned victory for their opponent. The last thing the Clippers want to do is end Chris Paul's nightmare of escaping the 2nd round barrier at their own expense.
3. Miracle comeback in exchange for new heights?
Checkmate. Like I stated earlier, the first championship for Cavs overall and first in 52 years for Cleveland required beating the greatest team of all time under the most dire of circumstances. The Boston Red Sox needed to come back from a 3-0 deficit to right Harry Frazee's wrong of selling Babe Ruth to their arch nemesis New York Yankees which activated the 86-year World Series drought. As a matter of fact, by shipping Chris Paul to the team who gave them the 3-1 collapse, you could now claim the Clippers are in the same boat as the Red Sox. If the Cavs can break a 0-32 record of coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals, then maybe the Clipper's first trip ever to the Western Conference Finals starts with a 3-0 miracle comeback. They'll have to prove the comeback and atonement is sincere, however.
Biggest Disappointment: I'm not getting into this one.
Most Likely to Finish Season on a Different Team: DeAndre Jordan or Austin Rivers, depending on coaching change
Why: I hate to say it, but Jerry West will be heavily involved. Basketball sense tells us the role of big men has changed. It doesn't help that DeAndre is a very poor free throw shooter and has no other offensive skill but lob-jams, poster dunks, and screen sets - but he's an anchor on defense, calling out every defensive play and protecting the rim; sometimes acting as the de facto defender. My sense tells me it's the Griffin-Jordan friendship. One of the reasons DJ backed out of the Mavericks deal was due to Griffin. Even if the Clippers ship DeAndre out for the right reasons, Griffin will be pretty upset about it to the point he might want out too. Griffin's final lesson as a basketball player is learning to let go, and it will be up to Jerry West to soften the blow of losing his friend. The maturity of Griffin will ultimately determine the fate of the Clippers, and if he's incapable of letting go, another long playoff drought will be awaiting them soon.
Biggest Rookie Impact (includes 2-ways, but not Milos): I'm not getting into this one.
NBA AwardsMVP: Kevin Durant
DPOY: Draymond Green
MIP: Don't know
ROY: Don't know
6MOY: Don't know
EOY: Don't know
COY: Don't know
