LA Clippers: Games of the Year.
The LA Clippers 2019–20 season is almost upon us. What are the games fans should be most excited about?
We’re just weeks away from the start of the most anticipated LA Clippers season in franchise history. The arrivals of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have fans eschewing purple and gold frothing at the mouth.
Here are some of the games I have pegged as must-see viewing.
Number Three: Nuggets (Away, Wednesday March 18th at 6.00 PM Pacific Time)
I know, I know. The Nuggets are hardly the sexiest team to start with, but let me make my case.
This game is at the tail-end of one of the most brutal stretches of the Clippers’ schedule. Beginning February 28th, the Clips play the Nuggets (H), Sixers (H), OKC (A), Houston (A), Lakers (H), Warriors (A), Nets (H), Pelicans (H), Mavericks (H), Nuggets (A).
The Nuggets have a shot at the best record in the conference. They’re deep and built to churn out regular season wins. This could be a game that determines home-court advantage in the playoffs. Denver is a treacherous place to try and get a win, especially following a difficult stretch of games.
Now, the Clippers might not care about the one seed. Kawhi certainly didn’t last season in Toronto, preferring instead to strategically rest and prepare his body for the playoffs.
Nikola Jokic is exactly the type of big who can give the Clippers problems. He’s too big and skilled on the block for Montrezl Harrell, and too dynamic in space for Ivica Zubac. Jokic put up 25/5/7 per-36 minutes on 48% from the field in three wins over the Clippers (as well as a Plus 48.3 net-rating in 13 minutes with Zubac on the floor).
Stopping bigs like Jokic and Anthony Davis will be a point of emphasis heading into the postseason. This meeting will be the Clippers third crack at the Nuggets. It will be interesting to monitor how the team matches up.
Number Two: The Toronto Raptors (Away, Wednesday December 11th, 4PM Pacific Time)
The LA Clippers first trip north of the boarder marks Leonard’s return to Toronto following a dramatic championship win and an even more dramatic free agency departure. Never before has the best player from a championship team signed with another organization in the same summer. Retired from the game, sure. But voluntarily bounced elsewhere? Nope.
Leonard won’t receive his championship ring on opening night as is customary, but the night will be loaded with mixed emotions. One would hope Leonard will receive rapturous applause and appreciation, but fans can be unpredictable.
The on-court match-up will be interesting, also. Make no mistake: this Raptors team will still be tough, even without Kawhi and Danny Green.
Pascal Siakam has the potential to make an all-star team with increased usage. Kyle Lowry is still one of the best point guards in the league. Marc Gasol is a genius passer at the center spot. OG Anunoby should be healthy again. Fred Van Vleet might literally still be on fire from the playoffs.
As much as the game fascinates me on the floor, it’s intriguing even more as a symbolic closing of the craziest single-season superstar turn in the history of the game.
Number One: The Lakers (Wednesday 25th of December, 5PM Pacific Time)
Could it have been anything else?
Santa Silver (or the hard-working schedule folk who put the pieces together) delivered the best gift we could’ve asked for. Star power, rivalry, theater and occasion all come together in one of the biggest Christmas day games since Shaq and Kobe faced off in 2004.
As others have pointed out, the Clippers and Lakers have rarely been good or even competent at the same time. The Clippers brief run of hope between 2005 and 2007 coincided with the Lakers’ lull between championships following Shaquille O’Neal’s departure for Miami. By the time “Lob City” was in full flight in 2011–12, the Lakers’ were already descending towards the pits of the western conference.
Things seem set to change this year.
The Clippers (plus 350) and Lakers (plus 400) are the bookmakers’ favorites to eventually take the NBA championship. While the teams match-up on the first day of the season, Christmas day figures to be the bigger event. Both teams should hopefully be healthy and in a flow by that point, each eager to prove, at least for one day, that they are the true Kings of Los Angeles.
Stylistically, it’s a fascinating match-up. DeMarcus Cousins’ unfortunate ACL injury makes the Lakers’ size advantage a lot less pronounced, but the LeBron James-Anthony Davis pick-and-roll should still be a formidable weapon. Kawhi and George match-up with LeBron about as well as any mortal can, but Anthony Davis is a deadly force on the block who can catch lobs from just about anywhere. Conversely, the Lakers are fairly bereft of options with which to slow down the 213.
Lakers’ fans might loath to admit it, but the teams are absolutely rivals. The hearts of the fanatics might not be up for grabs, but the masses, in LA and beyond, absolutely are.
All stats are courtesy of NBA stats and info and basketball-reference.
