This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Los Angeles Clippers faced the Golden State Warriors last Wednesday with a singular goal in mind: Defeat the best team in the NBA and send the statement that they are in fact for real.
Well, the Clippers were eviscerated 115-98 by Golden State in a game that wasn't as close as the score conveyed. So in that sense, they sent a message: They are the same old Los Angeles Clippers. And their time may be running short.
Los Angeles will win its usual 50 games this season. The Clippers will likely be the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, with a ceiling of No. 2 and a floor of No. 4. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will be All-Stars. DeAndre Jordan will make a run for Defensive Player of the Year. And on the surface they will appear to be one of the best teams in the NBA.
But the surface in this case is window-dressing. In a year where the Clippers must figure out a way to challenge Golden State for Western Conference supremacy, Los Angeles is about as much a threat to do that as the other L.A. team, the Lakers.
Unlike past years, this season holds more urgency for the Clippers. This is a franchise that's been stuck in neutral since about 2011 — good, but not nearly good enough. The powers that be in Los Angeles brought Doc Rivers to town to help the Clippers break their glass ceiling, and it hasn't happened.
Paul — one of the three best point guards in the league — has a pretty solid case for top-10 ever at the position, if you look at the raw numbers and his amazing overall talent. But if you look at his lack of winning when it truly matters — in the playoffs — it's fair to ask how he can be put in the same category as players like Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson and John Stockton. Paul has never been to an NBA Finals. He has never led a team to a conference finals, even though he's had enough talent around him the past few seasons to get there.
Beyond Paul, Griffin can become a free agent at the end of the season, and there is no doubt somebody will try and pry him away.
As a result, the Clippers are in what looks like a make-or-break kind of season, one where legacies are truly on the line. And that's what has to be frustrating about their showing against the Warriors — at the Staples Center, no less. The Clips had an opportunity to pronounce themselves true contenders, and they failed the test miserably.
Here's the thing: The Clippers started the season on a hot streak. They have a terrific road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, a game in which they dominated LeBron James and company from start to finish.
But none of that matters if they can't get through the Warriors, or the San Antonio Spurs.
This is the problem for Los Angeles. It is a well-put-together team on paper. Paul is a premier point guard. Griffin is one of the best power forwards in the league, and J.J. Redick is a sniper from the perimeter. Jordan is one of the best big men in the NBA, and Jamal Crawford can still get you a ton of points off the bench. What they lack is a presence on the wing. And beyond Paul, they lack playmakers. It shows the most when the Clippers run up against Golden State. Basketball is about matchups, and the Warriors are a bad matchup for Los Angeles.
It's early. The Clippers still have a lot of time to right their ship and get things together. But in basketball, we go by sample size. And the multi-year sample size of the Clippers says they are good, but not good enough.
Twitter: @tribjazz NBA Power Rankings
1. Golden State Warriors • Registered very good road wins over the Clippers and Jazz this week.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers • LeBron and company made the Garden their own playground.
3. San Antonio Spurs • Road winning streak ends at 13 with loss to the Bulls.
4. Los Angeles Clippers • Clear gap between NBA's top three and Clips.
5. Toronto Raptors • DeRozan, Lowry, as explosive a backcourt as there is.
6. Memphis Grizzlies • Have somehow made it work without Conley.
7. Houston Rockets • Second-best offense in the NBA?
8. Oklahoma City Thunder • Have a big division meeting this week with the Jazz.
9. Utah Jazz • When will this team regain its health?
10. Boston Celtics • Still scoring-challenged, but one of the scrappiest groups in the league.
11. Chicago Bulls • Standings don't reflect it, but this is a formidable team.
12. Charlotte Hornets • Is Kemba Walker going to be an All-Star?
13. Milwaukee Bucks • Returning to their form of two years ago.
14. New York Knicks • Still making progress, embarrassing loss to Cavs aside.
15. Portland Trail Blazers • Can score, but can't stop anyone.
16. Detroit Pistons • Could make a move, now that Reggie Jackson is healthy.
17. Indiana Pacers • Should be better, given the talent on the roster.
18. Atlanta Hawks • The bottom has fallen out.
19. Orlando Magic • Wouldn't be surprised to see a playoff push.
20. Los Angeles Lakers • Like Jazz, they're battered by injuries.
21. Sacramento Kings • We're shocked — Matt Barnes in trouble for another off-court incident.
22. Minnesota Timberwolves • Not who we thought they were, but still talented.
23. New Orleans Pelicans • Need Davis and Jrue Holiday to be competitive.
24. Denver Nuggets • Struggled on eastern road trip.
25. Washington Wizards • This sums it up: John Wall scores 52 — and Wizards lose.
26. Miami Heat • They simply don't have the firepower.
27. Brooklyn Nets • Not much talent, but not many teams play harder.
28. Phoenix Suns • Almost rallied to beat the Jazz.
29. Philadelphia 76ers • Joel Embiid is the real deal.
30. Dallas Mavericks • Old and bad. That's much worse than being young and bad.