The Los Angeles Clippers have been penciled in by many in the mainstream media as the second best team in the Western Conference after the Golden State Warriors. After withstanding a late Los Angeles Lakers run and dominating the Sacramento Kings, the Clippers rounded out the first week of the season by dropping their home opener to the Phoenix Suns.
Kawhi Leonard came off the bench in two of those games, looking like the same old Kawhi in just over 20 minutes of play in both games. In their wins, the Clippers' depth has shined, going 11 men deep in their season opener against the Lakers.
Here are three of our hottest takeaways a week into the Clippers season.
1. Bring Kawhi off the bench until January
The Clippers cannot afford Kawhi Leonard to get hurt again. He is still a top-five player on both ends of the floor when healthy, and the Clippers' surefire number 1 option, even according to Paul George.
Head coach Tyronn Lue should heavily consider bringing Kawhi off the bench until January. Load manage the five-time All Star, keep him out of back-to-backs, and maintain a 20-25 minute range while he works back up to game shape. As January rolls around, Lue should insert the former Finals MVP into the starting lineup and ramp up to 30 minutes per game ahead of the playoffs.
2. The Clippers' depth shines, but has its flaws
Outside of the scoring chops of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Clippers biggest strength is their depth. This will continue to be the case as Kawhi gets back to his normal minutes. Lue will likely continue to run a 10 or 11-man rotation and keep his aging stars fresh and healthy for the long season.
Marcus Morris Sr. and Robert Covington space the floor while guarding some of the league's best forwards on the defensive end of the ball. Reggie Jackson and John Wall can steady the ship and provide the playmaking that allows Kawhi and George to focus on getting buckets. Norman Powell can be that much-needed spark that can turn the tide of a game, while Luke Kennard can shoot the leather off the ball. This is the deepest team in the league,
However, through their first three games, it's clear that this team has its flaws. Often, they feel lethargic, going through the motions just to launch a contested jump shot. They are not really athletic and struggle to attack the rim off the dribble — Norman Powell and Paul George are the only ones that really have that vertical pop. Even Kawhi Leonard looks a little slower, although he is just returning from injury.
The Clippers aren't the most explosive team, but they make up for it by generating great looks from beyond the arc, specifically the corner three. This will be a fascinating balance as the season goes on, but aside from John Wall, they're not the most athletic squad around. Will that affect them? We'll see.
3. The Clippers are not a top-4 seed
As deep as the Clippers are, it is hard to pinpoint the amount of effort you will get from them night in and night out. Kawhi Leonard's minutes must be met with caution, but it throws the rotation out of sync for Tyronn Lue as it changes each night. Players are not able to fit and maintain a role on the team when their minutes are constantly changing and when they are consistently put in different lineups.
The Clippers are a good team, built for the playoffs more than the regular season. Despite being unathletic in specific areas, they are still a good shot-making team with tons of talent. They will avoid the play-in tournament, but will not clinch home-court advantage before the playoffs.
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