Fansided

NBA Season Preview 2017-18: 5 teams that this season will make or break

By John Buhler

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 11: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves walks backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 11, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 11: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves walks backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 11, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 30: Head Coach Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers speaks to the media after Game Seven of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 30: Head Coach Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers speaks to the media after Game Seven of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Clippers

West, Pacific

Wait, wasn’t last year the quintessential make-or-break season for the Los Angeles Clippers? Yes, yes, it was and they broke up, sort of. While All-NBA point guard Chris Paul essentially forced a trade to the Houston Rockets before the start of free agency, Doc Rivers is still the head coach of this team. Man, is he under a ton of pressure.

Rivers claims to be a ball-movement coach, but he let Paul dribble the air of the basketball during his time with the Clippers. That was fine to some degree. Paul is the best all-around point guard in the league and the teams he plays for are at their best when he’s in possession of the basketball. However, Paul’s ball dominance never yield a Western Conference Finals appearance for Rivers.

With new players coming in like Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic at the point, there is no reason Rivers can hide behind a ball-dominant point guard. Try running the half-court offense through Blake Griffin as a point forward and see what happens. We have to believe the results will be pretty promising.

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer knows that Griffin is the face of the franchise, but may run out of patience with Rivers is he’s not willing to adapt to having new personnel. It’s not like the Paul trade completely ruined the Clippers. Los Angeles should still be a playoff team, maybe a team that can win 50 games if it all goes right for once.

It’s not like the Clippers head coaching gig is a bad job anymore. Ballmer has the respect of the league as a patient owner. Rivers will not be the scapegoat should the Clippers sink in 2017-18. He’s outworn his welcome and no coach in the NBA is more on the hot seat that Rivers and that includes Jeff Hornacek of the New York Knicks.