Coming into this shortened NBA season, the Los Angeles Clippers had been thrust into the spotlight after making a blockbuster trade to acquire superstar point guard Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets. After landing one of the best if not the best floor general in the league, the Clippers instantly became a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. The combination of Paul and Blake Griffin got a lot of people excited as they were the newest dynamic duo in the NBA.
Along with Paul and Griffin, the struggling NBA franchise also went out to sign other talented veterans like Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler. As if that wasn’t enough, Lob City added shooting guard Nick Young into the mix via trade after Billups went down with a season-ending Achilles injury.
Needless to say, the stage has been set this season for the Clippers to finally turn it around and become a legitimate NBA title contender for the first time in franchise history. Despite some bumps in the road along the way with slumping players and head coach Vinny Del Negro temporarily on the hot seat.
After getting over the slump and Del Negro regaining the confidence of his players, the Clippers have been on a roll and as a result have officially clinched a playoff spot in the West win an impressive win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is a milestone for the franchise once dubbed one of the worst in professional sports, but now the real challenge begins with the up-and-coming squad facing some tough competition in the playoffs.
If the playoffs were to start today, the Clippers would face the Memphis Grizzlies. Even though Lob City is as talented as any team in the West right now, the Grizzlies are also on the rise and will be incredibly tough to beat in a seven-game series. This will be the true test for Paul and company as it will be determined whether or not they can compete with the best of the best in the conference.
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