Are the Los Angeles Clippers Title Contenders or Pretenders?

Can the Los Angeles Clippers really compete for an NBA championship?

Asking the question out loud almost begs laughter, but for the first time ever it's a legitimate query.

And the answer, shockingly enough, is absolutely.

In a crazy, hectic, lockout-shortened season such as this, the Clippers definitely have a squad capable of making a run all the way to a title. 

Start by looking at their roster. The Clips are built around two All-Stars on the right side of 30, including one of the five best players in the league in Chris Paul. They have a prototypical, athletic, rim-protecting center who's in the top five in the league in blocked shots. They have one of the best sixth men in the league in Mo Williams. And they have a bevy of long-range bombers spacing the floor, waiting for the perfect feed from Paul.

Next, take a quick glance at their resume. L.A. is a tidy 14-9 against the other seven Western Conference (projected) playoff teams. They own winning records against five of the seven and have beaten each team at least once this season.

Then, sneak a peak at their numbers. The Clippers are fifth in the NBA in offensive efficiency, seventh in effective field goal percentage, sixth in three-pointers made and second in turnover ratio. They have also become an upper-echelon rebounding club, ranking fourth in offensive rebound rate and sixth in total rebound rate. 

Finally, they have the best closer in basketball. Chris Paul is the best clutch player in the NBA. Having a top-tier closer can make the difference between winning and losing a playoff series.

When games get tight down the stretch, you need someone who can get your team a bucket when they desperately need it. Paul is that guy for the Clips. Not only can he get into the paint at will and also shoot from anywhere on the floor, there's no one better in the league at setting up a teammate with an excellent look. 

Throughout the season, Paul has turned up his play during crunch time. He's single-handedly won the Clippers several games this year. They'll be relying on Paul even more during the playoffs, a luxury that most teams would kill to have. In two of Paul's three previous trips to the postseason, he's recorded the highest PER of all players in the playoffs.

While the Clippers have a lot going for them, I certainly wouldn't tag them as the favorites heading into the postseason. They'll only have home-court advantage for one series and their projected path is their worst-case scenario.

Their current road through the West could have them squaring off against the Grizzlies, Spurs and Lakers. There are no guaranteed wins there. The Clippers lost the season series to both the Spurs and the Lakers. Although they did take two of three from Memphis, the Grizz were victorious in the one contest that Zach Randolph participated in, a huge factor in any series.

Plus, the Clips are still coached by Vinny Del Negro. He's anything but proven and we're still only a month removed from the height of the "Fire Vinny" campaign. 

The players aren't exactly proven, either. Many of them, including Blake Griffin, have never even sniffed the playoffs. And for all of Chris Paul's postseason brilliance, he's won exactly one playoff series in his career. While Caron Butler technically has a championship ring, he didn't play a single minute in Dallas' run to a title last season. The Clippers' starting five has just 54 games of postseason experience between them.

In order to capture their first ever NBA championship, the Clippers have some hills to climb. However, just by being legitimate title contenders, they've already won the first battle. We've seen this year that anything is possible. That's exactly the kind of year that can favor a team like the Clips.