When the Los Angeles Clippers shocked the NBA world by signing Kawhi Leonard and acquiring Paul George, it not only signaled a shift in the NBA landscape, but made the Clippers a very formidable defensive team.
During the latest episode of Fox Sports 1’s Undisputed, former NBA player Stephen Jackson praised the defensive potential of the group.
"The Clippers got Lou, they got Trez, they might have the best defense as far as guards in the league. Pat Beverley, Kawhi and Paul George. Who is going to score on that defense? It's going to be hard." — @DaTrillStak5 pic.twitter.com/i8nyixdlVb
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 9, 2019
In the brief clip, Jackson gave the Clippers as good of a chance as any team to come away with the NBA Championship, and specifically notes how their defensive group could be extremely great. With the likes of Montrezl Harrell, Patrick Beverley, and Kawhi Leonard on the Clippers, the teams ability to guard multiple positions and keep opponents scoring will be key to them winning.
Although the Clippers seem like the heavy favorites to win the next NBA Finals, they still have tons of competition standing in their way. With Kawhi opting to not form a superteam with the Los Angeles Lakers, it opened the door for many other teams to possibly contend. Teams like the Lakers, Nuggets, Bucks, and Sixers all have a very realistic chance to compete for an NBA Championship, and a handful of other teams also hope to break into that group as the season goes on.
Needless to say, Kawhi’s decision has had a ripple effect throughout the league, and might have given fans the most competitive and wide open year we’ve seen in some time. Of course, the Clippers still might sit at the top of the league for now, as their depth and abilities on both sides of the court could prove to be too much for most NBA teams.