The Case Against the Clippers As 2024 NBA Champions
At their best, the Clippers are a championship contender. However, a lot needs to go right for them along the way. First and foremost, they have to get there healthy. Knock on wood that they’ve been fine so far, but we’ve seen too many strong seasons ruined by injuries to either Kawhi Leonard or Paul George in recent years. We’ve not seen a full sample size of them performing at their best since the bubble in 2020. For basketball’s sake, we hope they make it. Worrying about what version of James Harden they’ll get come playoff time is also a fair criticism. We’ve seen too many postseason collapses from him to expect him to be consistent when it matters most.
Plus, in terms of seeding, the Clippers have the seventh-hardest remaining schedule in basketball, while Oklahoma City, Denver, and Minnesota all have the top-ten easiest schedules. In my eyes, the Clippers look destined for the fourth seed, making them in line for a tough first-round matchup against either Dallas or Phoenix.
