Concerning Issues for LA Clippers as NBA Season Begins

Despite the praise the Los Angeles Clippers received this summer, there are plenty of red flags. Some glaring issues have been problems for years and seem to have gone unsolved again, mainly due to salary-cap limitations.

Offensively, the team should once again challenge for the lead league in points per game. With players such as Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford, there will not be a lack of scoring options. However, depth concerns behind Paul and at small forward are warranted.

Defensively, the Clippers looked improved late in the regular season last year. Unfortunately, the defense was a big concern in the playoffs and gave up multiple leads to the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. The defense has been a concern during the preseason and is in question again.

If the Clippers want to advance out of the second round of the playoffs, these five red flags need to be addressed first.

Backup Point Guard

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Doc Rivers signed Jordan Farmar to serve as Paul’s backup this season. Farmar is not the traditional fit behind Paul like Darren Collison was last season and even Eric Bledsoe the season before. Farmar is more of a shooter who can attack defenses that run him off the line, while the other two excelled at creating offense but struggled shooting.

However, Farmar’s biggest attribute might be his ability to play off the ball next to Paul or Crawford. Neither Collison nor Bledsoe was a serious threat from three-point land, but Farmar is one.

What should concern Clippers fans is Farmar and Paul’s injury history. Farmar only played 41 games last season and played 39 games two seasons prior, with a stint in Turkey sandwiched—no pun intended—between them.

Paul has missed at least 12 games per season since signing with the Clippers. Needless to say, the depth at point guard is a concern, as neither of the two has been able to remain healthy.

Further compounding the depth issue is the lack of a third point guard on the roster. While Crawford and J.J. Redick are capable of filling in for short periods of time, the team needs another point guard or at least an open roster spot.

Rebounding

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The Clippers’ primary weakness over the past few seasons has been on the glass.

Last season, according to ESPN.com, the Clippers ranked 21st in offensive rebounding and 10th in defensive rebounding, with a negative differential that ranked 20th overall.

This ugly trend continued in the playoffs, as the team finished 12th in rebounding. This resulted in multiple blown leads and ultimately losing in the second round to the Oklahoma City Thunder. DeAndre Jordan’s efforts were not enough to help make up for poor team rebounding and allowing second-chance points.

This season might be no different. The main addition to the rotation this season is the 7’1” Spencer Hawes. While he is a solid rebounder who averages 6.4 per game for his career, the problem stems from the wings and guards.

Last season, only Griffin and Jordan averaged more than 4.6 rebounds. Paul and Matt Barnes were the only other two players to pull down more than three rebounds per game. While Rivers does not emphasize crashing the glass with his guards, there has to be more support from the perimeter players in boxing out and contesting defensive rebounds.

Small Forward

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Clearly the team’s biggest weakness is the small forward position. Just look at the depth chart: Barnes, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Reggie Bullock and maybe Joe Ingles. There is a lot left to be answered about what kind of production the Los Angeles Clippers will receive from this position on both ends of the floor.

Barnes has been a productive and vital member of the Clippers’ success, but is he suited to be a starter? His shooting is somewhat erratic, and his defense comes and goes. His energy and toughness are his greatest strengths and seem to be why Rivers gives him extended minutes.

Douglas-Roberts was acquired this summer and is likely to see a decent number of minutes at the position thanks to his length and defensive ability. Although he will need to prove that he can hit open shots from the perimeter, he could be a major liability on offense.

Finally, Bullock and Ingles round out the depth chart. Ingles might not even make the roster, but Bullock provides hope on both sides of the ball. He was a good outside shooter at North Carolina but played sparingly last season. However, if he can shoot above 35 percent from three and provide solid defense, he will alleviate some concerns from this position. 

Roster Development

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As alluded to in the previous slide, Bullock did not see the floor much at all last season. Who can really blame Rivers? He had a solid rotation and championship aspirations and was introducing new systems on both sides of the ball. Bullock just was not ready to play.

However, injuries began piling up with Barnes missing time and Jared Dudley hampered all season with tendinitis in his knee, yet Bullock barely saw any action. This drew some concerns about Rivers’ ability to develop his roster. Certainly, Jordan’s development was due to Rivers’ presence and teaching, but what about the young players?

The reason why roster development is a concern is because the Clippers cannot afford to whiff on draft picks, especially considering they already owe two future first-round picks in the next three years. Rivers needs to find a way to develop his young players so that they can grow into core rotation pieces that can complement Griffin, Paul and Jordan.

Furthermore, the play, or lack thereof, from C.J. Wilcox this preseason has been disappointing. Wilcox has found it difficult to see any sort of meaningful minutes. Perhaps Rivers is giving other players a chance to make the roster, as Wilcox’s contract is guaranteed, but at some point the young players need minutes to acclimate themselves to the NBA.

Team Defense

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The hire of Rivers last season was supposed to correct many of the Clippers’ defensive issues. While everyone knew it would take time, by the end of the regular season it seemed many problems had been fixed.

According to NBA.com, the Clippers finished seventh in defensive rating and 14th in points allowed per game during the regular season last year. However, in the playoffs the team defense broke down and was exposed. The Clippers were below-average, ranking ninth in defensive efficiency and giving up 106.8 points per game (13th).

The team defense is where a lack of reliable depth at small forward haunted the team. Douglas-Roberts was brought in as a defensive rotation player, and Ekpe Udoh was added up front for his shot blocking, but they do not solve the issues that plagued the team a season ago.

Sloppy rotations, poor rim protection and allowing multiple extra possessions were the real problems. It remains to be seen how the team will fare playing a familiar rotation and extended minutes, but the results during the preseason have been underwhelming.

The good news is that Lawrence Frank and Mike Woodson flank Rivers on the bench. Both assistants are highly regarded defensive coaches. There certainly will not be a lack of teaching or scheming. It all boils down to cohesiveness and hard work. The Clippers can be a good defensive team, but all five guys on the floor need to read and react better than they did last season.