NBA Power Rankings – Ranking the top ten teams for the next NBA season (Part 3)
6. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers were perhaps the better team from Los Angeles last season, but after bit of magic from the Lakers front office during the summer, they are back to their original status. However that does not mean that
they are any weaker. If anything, the Clippers have become more formidable in the off season.
While Mo Williams departed, the Clips re-signed Chauncey Billups, added Jamaal Crawford and also brought in former sixth man of the year Lamar Odom. With Chris Paul now fit and Blake Griffin also having some post season experience
under his belt, this young side is bound to grow further.
Their most apparent problem is that while they have more than enough resources to play small ball, the Clippers are bound to struggle against team which have quality big men, their neighbours being the most obvious. This argument
can be countered by pointing towards Miami Heat, who employ the same system and won the championship last season, but the Heat have players like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh; Clippers have only one player of that calibre in CP3.
The key to remove this concern rests with young centre DeAndre Jordan. Jordan was offered a huge contract by the Clips last season, but he has so far failed to live up to the expectations. The centre needs to develop a post game
and improve his man to man defence. Griffin also need to work on his perimeter shooting for that matter.
Still with all these issues, the Clips look set to have a successful season.
5. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics took a major blow in the off season when Ray Allen decided to join the Miami Heat, but such have been the reinforcements that the side looks set to make a big impact next season and is regarded as the only serious
threat to Heat’s hegemony in the East.
The C’s still have a strong core in the form of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, and they can build up on that by the return of Jeff Green. The Celtics have also added Jason Terry and Courtney Lee to their back court
and when Avery Bradley return from the shoulder surgery rehab, it will become one of the strongest in the league.
Another major Celtics coup this off season was the draft of Jared Sullinger. The rookie was red flagged by the league doctors before the draft night, but Greens took the gamble and if pre-season is an indicator, it seems to have
paid off.
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