NBA Playoff Contenders and Pretenders

Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part, but I really don’t want to see the Clippers move on deep into the playoffs.

The strength of the Clippers rests in Chris Paul agitating the opponents point guard and willing the team into offensive production. It rests in the smart two way play of Blake Griffin when he chooses the correct times to showcase his emerging jump shot and when to dominate down low. And it rests in the continued exceptional play of DeAndre Jordan around the rim rebounding, shot blocking and finishing easy chances. They had the league’s top ranked offense for a reason.

Those strengths will likely be on full display once the playoffs get underway, but for the Clippers, the weaknesses of a poor bench and an unsustainable playing style will quickly catch up with them.

The Clips bench is inconsistent, and behind Griffin and Jordan they have no players to rely on in any significant relief down low. The team’s only significant bench presence is the incomprable Jamal Crawford, but his contributions aren’t a consistent or reliable factor. As the playoffs continue, the Clippers won’t be able to sustain the energy of other teams.

The series the Clippers are gearing up to play against the San Antonio Spurs looks to be perhaps the most exciting playoff matchup of the first round. Depth is the most glaring area where the Spurs have an edge. The team’s pacing and spacing will allow the Spurs to score in large quantities, and on the other end, the Spurs will use the rim protection of Tim Duncan and the perimeter defense of Kawhi Leonard to force the Clippers into taking mid-range shots.

While the Clippers do have the talent to score even relying just on those mid-range opportunities, they will have a tough time winning a seven game series keeping up with the deep Spurs bench.

Next: Memphis Grizzlies