National Basketball Association

LA Clippers' bench looks much better already this season

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The LA Clippers’ bench looks much better already this season, and it could be the decisive factor in allowing the team to go further in the NBA playoffs.

We’re still in the earliest portion of the 2016-17 NBA season, but the LA Clippers are sitting atop the Western Conference standings right now, with a record of 5-1. Stars Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan have played key parts in helping the team do so, but the Clippers’ bench has also been a major contributor.

Through six games, the Clippers’ second unit is averaging 40 points per game; that’s already better than last season’s average of 37.8 points. Yet, it isn’t just the scoring that’s been impressive. Defensively, the bench has continued playing with the same level of energy and intensity as the starting unit, allowing the team to hold opponents to only 90.7 points per 100 possessions, which leads the league.

Now, that doesn’t mean scoring still isn’t their bread and butter, as offensively they’ve got Jamal Crawford, who’s someone that can get hot at anytime (although he has struggled some in the early goings, shooting only 37.5 percent from the field, and a dreadful 23.8 from deep) and Austin Rivers, who has slowly developed into a nice scoring option himself with his ability to attack the rim.

However, with the additions of Marreese Speights and Raymond Felton it has really helped alleviate some of the pressure off of those two. Before, without Griffin and Paul on the floor, Jamal and Austin were the only scorers and playmakers the Clippers had, so they had to create scoring opportunities out of nothing a lot of the time. It even forced the starters into playing heavy minutes, which came back to hurt them come playoff time.

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That happened during the Clippers’ second round series against the Houston Rockets back in 2014-15 when they blew a 3-1 lead. Much of that was due to the fact that the team was lacking in the depth department, forcing L.A.’s Big 3 to play heavy, fatigued minutes all series.

Great teams just don’t play that way. That’s why Golden State and Cleveland made the Finals, because they’ve got players off the bench that help take pressure off the starting unit. I mean there’s a reason why Andre Iguodala won the 2015 Finals MVP off the bench for the Golden State Warriors. He was someone that kept the offense and defense afloat, even when Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green weren’t playing.

That’s why having a better second unit this year should really catapult the LA Clippers, because they don’t have to rely on the starters to keep a lead. Instead, they can now allow the second unit to play well while Paul, Jordan, Griffin and J.J. Reddick get some well-earned rest.

Alternatively, with more complimentary pieces, it’s also easier for Doc Rivers to stagger the minutes of Paul and Griffin (as Doc intends to) with the bench alongside stronger supporting casts.

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So, this way come playoff time, the team can be fresh, maybe ready to bring home a title to L.A. But hopefully the championship parade is full of Clipper red, white and blue this time, instead of the usual purple and gold Los Angeles is accustomed to seeing in June.

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