With a sparkling 13-6 record, the Los Angeles Clippers are the best team in the Western Conference. They’re tied with the 14-7 Golden State Warriors but own the tiebreaker, allowing them to leapfrog their in-state rivals. This is the development everyone expected, right? RIGHT?
This season was set up to be a rebuilding one. Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan are all gone. The team is devoid of its star power. It would’ve been easy for them to tank the season, draft an elite college player and dive head-first into a rebuild. Doc Rivers has other plans.
Los Angeles has taken down a myriad of quality opponents. Their first two victories this year came against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. They bested the Rockets again five days later. Back on Nov. 2, they blew out the Orlando Magic, who are a respectable 10-10 after beating the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Just two weeks ago, the Clippers strung together three wins against the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs.
A driving force behind the Clippers’ play is their pace. They average 102.7 possessions per game, the league’s ninth-quickest mark. Because of the talent deficit, more possessions mean a greater chance of winning. They, however, aren’t running-and-gunning for the sake of it. Los Angeles has an offensive rating of 112.0 and a defensive rating of 107.6, ranking sixth and 11th, respectively. They’re also sixth with a net rating of plus-4.4, sandwiched between Golden State (plus-5.2) and the Charlotte Hornets (plus-4.3).
The Clippers offense is powered by the anger their roster has toward those who overlooked them. On a nightly basis, Los Angeles makes more free throws than any other team (24.1). They attempt 29.5, tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the league-lead. Their 81.6 percent clip is third overall. Four Clippers average three or more attempts from the charity stripe: Montrezl Harrell (6.4), Lou Williams (5.5), Danilo Gallinari (5.4) and Tobias Harris (3.4). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just on the outside at 2.9.
Both Williams and Gallinari are nearly automatic from the line. Gallinari has connected on 94.8 percent of his free throws thus far, barely ahead of Williams and his 94.2 percent. Harrell, at 67.8 percent, is by far the worst of the quartet. His energy and unrelenting attack of the offensive glass, however, brings a gritty edge to a team trying their best to thrive in a pace-driven league.
Because of their diverse skill sets, Gallinari (18.6 points) and Williams (17.8) are two of the Clippers’ three leading scorers. Gallinari, who’s now healthy, is one of the most lethal shooters on the planet. He’s made 45.8 percent of his threes so far. Williams, a historically-inefficient player, has doctored that narrative in recent years. He, unfortunately, is in a funk and shooting just 31.1 percent from three and 38.7 percent overall.
It’s important to note that Williams and Harrell are bench players. The game changes when they enter, and they’re good enough to play off of the starters or lead the second-unit. The duo is the primary reason why the Clippers’ bench puts up 54.6 points a night.
The Los Angeles Clippers main catalyst, however, is playing the best basketball of his career.
Tobias Harris will be a free agent when the season concludes. He wants a nine-figure contract. Back in June, David Aldridge reported that Harris declined the Clippers’ $80 million contract extension. Perhaps it was foolish. Now, things are different. Harris is establishing himself as a budding star by being the best player on one of the best teams in the superior conference.
Harris leads the team in minutes (35.1), points (21.5) and rebounds (8.7). He is Los the Angeles Clippers’ go-to option, a lanky forward capable of creating for himself or working away from the ball. There’s no limit to Harris’ game. He’s shooting a staggering 52.5 percent overall and a blistering 42.7 percent from three.
The most frightening part of Harris’ game, from an opponent’s view, isn’t his efficiency but his volume. Three other players match his shooting marks: E’Twuan Moore, Willie Cauley-Stein and Malcolm Brogdon. Harris leads them all with 15.9 shot attempts per game. Moore is second with 12.3. Harris on pace to become the ninth player in NBA history to shoot at least 52 percent from the field and 42 percent from three while averaging more than 15 shots. His perimeter volume is unmatched by the others.
Pushing the Clippers over the edge are Luc Mbah a Moute, Avery Bradley and Marcin Gortat. Those three have a profound impact on the defensive end, especially Mbah a Moute. Los Angeles allows 108.1 points per 100 possessions when he isn’t on the court, and it falls to 98.6 when he is. Bradley and Gortat have differentials of minus-4.0 and minus-1.4, respectively. Mike Scott has been tremendous as well, posting a differential of minus-6.5.
Los Angeles isn’t a contender despite their spectacular play. Their lack of star power will ultimately be their downfall. That, however, doesn’t make them any less entertaining. Their explosiveness is must-see TV. They have three guys who can get hot within a matter of seconds, and that’s leveled out by highly-energetic outbursts on defense.
The Los Angeles Clippers remain the best team in their city and have shocked us by rising above some rigorous competition. It looks like it’ll stay that way for the next couple of months.
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