Record predictions for every NBA team

Los Angeles Clippers (Projected Record: 52-30)

The Clippers win projections shocked me when they first started coming out, both mine and the others who do this exercise. How could a team losing Chris Paul, a top five player in any impact stat you care to look at, not see a precipitous drop off in their projected win total? Well, the Clippers have rather notoriously not had any depth more the entirety of their Big 3 era with Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Paul due largely to roster mismanagement by Doc Rivers the GM. In the sign-and-trade deal to send CP3 to Houston, the Clippers were able to get really solid rotational players to plug the numerous holes they have on their roster.

Patrick Beverley, the pitbull point guard defender and corner 3 taker-and-maker, has long been beloved by plus-minus statistics relative to his reputation as merely a solid role player. In addition, Lou Williams is another solid contributor and should provide scoring punch and creation off-the-bench. Finally, Sam Dekker is a young and solid small forward off-the-bench, something the Clips have long lacked. Beyond the pieces received in the Chris Paul exodus, the Clippers also managed to sign Danilo Gallinari, who is quite good when he’s on the floor, as well as Milos Teodosic, the best passer in the world. Teodosic is out indefinitely with plantar fasciitis, but projects as a solid contributor when he plays, as well.

The one hiccup in the Clippers’ rosy projections are that they rely on so many players who have significant injury concerns in Griffin, Gallinari, and now Teodosic. If the relatively rosy minutes projections for those players end up being overly optimistic, they could slip below 50 wins. In any event, they still figure to be solidly a playoff team and an exciting watch with Blake Griffin upping his ball-handling responsibilities to further unleash his talents.