NBA Playoffs 2012: Are the Clippers Too Young and Inexperienced to Advance?

Many in Los Angeles hope that this is the year that the young Clippers will make a deep run in the NBA Playoffs. However, the same youth and inexperience that makes their fans excited with hope for a run, will be their undoing in the playoffs.

On their roster, there are four rotation players with no playoff experience whatsoever, two rotation players who have not gotten past the first round, three rotational players who have only gone as far as the second round and only three players with any Conference Finals or NBA Finals experience.

This will spell trouble when they go up against a Grizzlies team that is coming off a hard fought playoff run last season. 

Blake Griffin

In his 2nd season, this is Blake Griffin's first taste of playoff basketball. Blake is averaging only 19.5 PPG and 8.5 RPG, which are both lower than his averages from the regular season.

As each game progresses, he is adapting to the physicality of playoff basketball; check for his numbers to slowly rise. 

DeAndre Jordan

As is the case with Blake Griffin, this is also DeAndre Jordan's first playoff appearance. 

So far, he is averaging 5.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG, which are both lower than his averages from the regular season.  

Randy Foye

Randy Foye, the Clippers' starting shooting guard, is appearing in his first playoffs as well. Averaging just 4.5 PPG and 2.5 APG, Foye is struggling against the talented defender, Tony Allen.

After averaging 11 PPG in the regular season, if Foye continues to struggle, the Clippers will have trouble scoring 90 points as a team.  

Eric Bledsoe

Not expected to get any playing time this season stuck behind veteran guards in the rotation, no one would have thought Bledsoe's youth and inexperience would be a problem for the Clippers.

However, with the injuries to to key players in the rotation, Bledsoe's number has been called and he is even closing games. Known as a great on-ball defender and change-of-pace point guard, Bledsoe is looking more and more confident as the first round continues. 

Bobby Simmons

Bobby Simmons (on the left), a 10 day contract signee in the middle of the season, probably could not have imagined starting for the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs.

However, with Caron Butler's injury, Simmons was thrust into the starting lineup. Simmons' previous playoff experience came with the Milwaukee Bucks, when they were knocked out of the first round in five games in 2006. 

Nick Young

After getting traded from the lottery-bound Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Clippers at the trade deadline, Young hoped to get another chance at the playoffs. His only previous experience was a first round sweep where he played a combined 17 minutes.

Although sometimes he tries to do too much, he seems to be taking advantage of his opportunity this time by hitting timely shots. If he can remember to allow Chris Paul to do the creating for him and focus only on finishing plays, he will be valuable to the Clippers.  

Caron Butler

Caron Butler had early success in the playoffs as a rookie with the Miami Heat team that featured Dwayne Wade and Lamar Odom. That Miami Heat team made it to the second round where they lost in six games.

Since then, Butler has gone only as far as the first round until last year. Last season, while on the the Dallas Mavericks who won the NBA Championship, Butler did not play a single playoff game due to injuries.

This season, after playing until the third quarter of Game 1, Butler fractured his hand and missed Game 2. He hopes to play with the injured hand in the remaining games. Butler's injury concerns, as well as the lack of recent experience in getting out of the first round should be troubling for Clippers fans.

Reggie Evans

Reggie Evans was brought in midway through the season to bring toughness and rebounding to the Clippers, but don't expect anything more than that in terms of experience.

Evans has only once been out of the first round, during the 2004-2005 season with the then Seattle Supersonics. 

Chris Paul

Chris Paul is known as a warrior and a veteran with experience. However, what many don't realize is that he has only been out of the first round only once in his six seasons in the league.

In the 2007-2008 season, Chris Paul led the 56-win Hornets out of the first round, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the second round with home court advantage. Chris Paul definitely elevates his play in the playoffs and should be the least of the Clippers' worries. 

Kenyon Martin

Kenyon Martin has plenty of playoff experience that he can rely on and pass on to his younger teammates. In his second and third years, his New Jersey Nets made consecutive NBA Finals trips. Although only a second year player then, Martin played well in his first few playoff appearances.

For the Clippers to be successful, Martin must help Griffin succeed. It is worth mentioning that since the 2003-2004 season, Martin has only made it out of the first round once.

Mo Williams

Mo Williams' playoff success comes from two playoff runs he had with the LeBron James led Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first season in Cleveland, the Cavaliers went all the way to the Conference Finals where they lost in six games to the Orlando Magic. In his second season in Cleveland, they went to the second round where they lost to the Boston Celtics.

Although Mo Williams was a major contributor on those Cavaliers teams during the season, he went on droughts when the team could least afford it. In fact, he shot only 41 percent against Orlando in 2009 Conference Finals Series. He followed it up by shooting 41 percent against the Celtics in the 2010 second round. 

Chauncey Billups

Everyone has heard about Chauncey Billups' playoff experience. He was the Finals MVP for the Detroit Pistons.

Sustaining a season ending injury midway through the season could be costly to the Clippers who would have greatly benefited from his experience and play-making out there on the court. 

Vinny Del Negro

The value of having a Head Coach with experience and success in the playoffs cannot be overlooked. Vinny Del Negro, in his head coaching career, has had two first round exits.

In his first season as head coach of the Bulls, he lost in seven games to the Celtics in the first round. In his second season with the Bulls, he lost in five games to the Cavaliers in the first round. 

Verdict

As can be seen, the Clippers are a young and inexperienced group of individuals in their first playoff appearance together with an inexperienced coach. There are growing pains to every team, and for this team to have future success they most likely will have to experience the pains of a playoff exit.

Losing the third seed to the Lakers and losing home-court advantage against the Grizzlies will mean a much harder challenge than what was needed for such an inexperienced group. Going up against the battle-tested Grizzlies will be too much for these young Clippers.

For these reasons, the Clippers will not advance to the second round and gain the post-season experience they so need.