Breaking Down the LA Clippers' Path to the NBA Finals: First Round
It's still uncertain if the NBA will resume at all this year, but fans have been a bit more hopeful in recent days — and for good reason.
Over the weekend, it was announced that the LA Clippers would reopen their practice facility, allowing players to come in for voluntary, distanced workouts. It's a small step in the direction of resuming play, but all league facilities had been shut down since March 11.
Additionally, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the NBA has established Walt Disney World as a "clear frontrunner" to host games this summer, so it seems more likely than not that we'll see a return to action here in the next few months.
With that, it's time to start thinking about the postseason again. This is the best shot the Clippers franchise has ever had at winning an NBA title, but it's still not going to be easy. The Western Conference is as crowded as ever with talent, and there are a handful of contenders in the Eastern Conference that could pose a significant threat to LA if they were to meet in The Finals.
We'll be taking a look at LA's path to the title using the current standings. That puts the Clippers at 2, sandwiched between the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.
Let's start with the first round.
First Round: (2) LA Clippers v. (7) Dallas Mavericks
If the postseason began today, the LA Clippers would face-off with the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas, the Western Conference's 7 seed, put together an impressive season at 40-27. The team was led by Luka Doncic, who averaged a ridiculous 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game to spearhead the league's No. 1 offense. The 20-year-old can do just about anything on the court, and he does it all extremely well.
Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry round the list of Dallas' double-digit scorers, and they shouldn't be overlooked. Porzingis, despite his struggles earlier this season, is still a 7-foot-3-inch behemoth that would force the Clippers to get creative in defending him. Hardaway Jr. and Curry, on the other hand, both rank among the league's top 20 in three-point percentage.
Fortunately, Dallas is not a terrific defensive team, ranking 15th in points allowed per game and 17th in defensive rating. On top of that, the Mavericks lack an above-average wing defender — clearing the way for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to wreak havoc.
The Clippers and Mavericks played twice this season — both in Dallas — with LA winning each game. Leonard appeared in both games, averaging 32.0 points and 9.5 rebounds, while George had one of his best defensive outings of the season in a 26-point, 6-steal performance.
Ultimately, the length of this series may come down to the bench matchup. Both teams have a second unit that ranks in the top-10 in points per game, and LA's guard trio of Reggie Jackson, Lou Williams and Landry Shamet could have issues defensively.
The Mavericks also have a secret weapon in J.J. Barea, who always seems to save his best games for the Clippers. If you'd like evidence of that, look no further than his 24-point performance against LA in December 2018. These playoff games may not have fans in attendance this year, but you can trust that Clippers fans watching from home will collectively groan when he checks in.
Overall, though, this series should serve as a warm-up for the Clippers, and nothing more. Despite Doncic's absurd talent and Dallas' efficient offense, his team lacks the experience and defensive ability necessary to slow down LA. Combine that with the fact that Leonard is a historically great postseason performer, and it's hard to see this series lasting more than 5 games.
Verdict: Clippers in 5
