In the immediate aftermath of the Denver Nuggets’ stunning Game 7 blowout of the L.A. Clippers, completing the team’s second rally from a 3-1 deficit in this post season, Doc Rivers’ team was the focus. All season long the conversations regarding the Clippers focused on how the team was ready-made for the postseason; Kawhi Leonard and Paul George would combine to lead a capable supporting cast to where no prior team in franchise history had gone before. The limited game time as a full rotation wasn’t supposed to matter; the Clippers were good enough to figure it all out in the postseason and ultimately win an NBA title.
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Well Michael Malone and the Nuggets had other ideas, and Denver is now in the conference finals for the first time since 2009. And for the chemistry “reasons” (read: excuses) being tossed around in an attempted defense of the Clippers, if any team is worthy of using that crutch it would be Denver. The rotation was depleted heading into the bubble due to multiple cases of COVID-19, and Gary Harris didn’t see his first action until Game 6 of Denver’s first round series against Utah. Add in the fact that Denver remains without Will Barton due to a knee injury, and that makes this run all the more remarkable.
And they’ve made no excuses, either. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have led the way, with contributors such as Harris, Paul Millsap and Michael Porter Jr. (to name three) stepping forward when needed. Denver won’t be favored in the conference finals, where the well-rested Lakers await, but it would be foolish to say that they don’t have a shot at reaching the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. The Nuggets have a clear advantage at the center position in Jokic, one of the best passers in the NBA regardless of position, and Murray’s fearlessness as a scorer is a highly valuable asset.
Of course the question of how they’ll deal with the tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis has to be answered, and the return of Rajon Rondo has given the Lakers a welcome boost on the perimeter. But given the resilience that the Nuggets have shown in this postseason, who’s to say that they can’t get past the Lakers as well?
With that squared away let us move back over to the Clippers, who in dropping three straight games reminded many that they remain the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined to score 24 points in Game 7…16 fewer than the aforementioned Murray had by himself. At a time when L.A. needed its two stars to step forward and be more assertive offensively they were passive, with Leonard barely shooting and George doing things like shooting open corner threes off the corner of the backboard. Add in a supporting cast that quite frankly got exposed by Denver, and the end result was a shocking tumble out of the bubble.
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, who did score 20 points Tuesday night, was a liability defensively and the same can be said for fellow awards finalist Lou Williams. Patrick Beverley proved more capable of twirling his finger to demand that a first-quarter foul call be challenged than staying on the court, as he was limited by foul trouble in multiple games. He picked up four fouls in Games 4 and 5, and fouled out of Game 6, and Beverley’s absence left the Clippers without one of the team’s best defenders.
Did the hiatus hurt Rivers’ team? One can certainly make that argument, especially when taking into consideration the team’s lack of on-court chemistry. But given the assembled talent this was something that the Clippers appeared to be capable of addressing. That obviously wasn’t the case, and as a result Rivers and team president Lawrence Frank are “on the clock” in their quest to win a title with this group.
In trades meant to form/bolster this roster the Clippers front office included seven first-round picks, with some being dealt away outright and others being swaps. The deadline deal with the Knicks that added Marcus Morris Sr. to the roster included two firsts (one outright, one swap), while the Paul George trade included a staggering five firsts (three outright, two swaps), Danilo Gallinari and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Looking at the draft alone, the Clippers won’t have full rights to their first-round pick until 2027. And with little in the way of assets that would potentially interest another team, Frank, Rivers and company really don’t have much choice but to go all-in again next season.
Morris and Harrell will both be unrestricted free agents this offseason, and given what was given up in order to acquire the former it’s very difficult to envision a scenario in which the Clippers let him walk for free. Harrell made $6 million this season but that number is going to increase, whether he stays put or signs elsewhere. But due to what this season is expected to do to the salary cap, Harrell’s market when it comes to possible destinations may be a bit limited.
What’s also worth considering when assessing the Clippers’ prospects moving forward is the fact that Leonard and George can both opt out after the 2020-21 season. That offseason stands to be far more lucrative, as league revenues are expected to take a turn in the right direction, and L.A. needs to do all it can to surround those two with a roster capable of winning a title both in the short-term and down the line. And if this season taught Steve Ballmer’s franchise anything, it is hopefully that the “we’ll get it right when the time comes” approach to team chemistry isn’t a good one.
BSL Analyst
Raphielle’s been writing about college sports for more than a decade, making the move to college basketball alone in 2013. Beginning his work with the former website CollegeHoops.net in 2003, Raphielle spent 3 years writing for NBCSports.com beginning 2013, covering CBB and the Olympics. In 2016, Raphielle joined Heavy.com. If there’s a game on, there’s a strong likelihood that he’s watching it.