Will the Clippers Win an NBA Championship With Doc Rivers?

[trojanfan12]

My guess would be...

1-Spurs
2-Warriors
3-Thunder
4-Rockets
5-Grizzlies
6-Clippers
7-Mavs
8-Pelicans or Suns

Similar to last season, but we will see what happens.
The additions of Lance Stephenson and Paul Pierce and losing Matt Barnes and Spencer Hawes. Plus players remaining healthy will be key.

I'd drop the Spurs to 3 or 4. Not because they can't get the #1 spot, but because Pop doesn't care about it and will manage Timmy, Ginobili and Parker's minutes. There will be games where he doesn't play them at all and games where he will throw in the towel early. He may even manage Aldridge's minutes some, even though it's unnecessary at this point in his career.

They will still most likely end up coming out of the West though.

 

[ManuForever]

I'd drop the Spurs to 3 or 4. Not because they can't get the #1 spot, but because Pop doesn't care about it and will manage Timmy, Ginobili and Parker's minutes. There will be games where he doesn't play them at all and games where he will throw in the towel early. He may even manage Aldridge's minutes some, even though it's unnecessary at this point in his career.

They will still most likely end up coming out of the West though.

I partially agree with you in that he will limit their minutes a ton and not really care about some of the games like at the end of the year, but if they're really as good as they are on paper, I see no reason why they can't pull away a bit towards March and April and solidify that 1 seed and cruise from there.

 

[Blitzville]

This is a scary good team now that they just signed Josh Smith. I find it very hard to rank the top 4 teams in the West but I'll go with SAS, GSW, LAC & OKC. All 4 of those teams have mini-all star rosters! Health & chemistry will determine how high they finish in the seeding & how far they go in the playoffs.

The only negative @ the Clips adding Smoove is that he & Lance both require 'special handling'! Doc will really have to live up to his rep as an elite coach this season if LAC is to even make the conference finals.

 

[Hambombs]

Josh smith doesn't make the clippers better

 

[GNG]

This Deandre Jordon mess has exposed this little sniveling weasel as the scared bitch that he is. The Clips are going nowhere now that teams know Jordon has no mental toughness or decisiveness along with limited basketball skills.

The Clippers are almost as hated as the Cavs now.

 

[GNG]

This is completely unfair retro. DeAndre stands 6'11" and weighs 265 lbs. Clearly, he is a big sniveling weasel.

He'd be good in the WNBA.

 

[Mecca]

1. Spurs

2. Warriors

3. Thunder * if healthy*

4. Clippers

We might not have enough to get past the WCF this year.

But, they will have enough to add another max, or near max, player next Summer.

 

[bksballer89]

1. Spurs

2. Warriors

3. Thunder * if healthy*

4. Clippers

We might not have enough to get past the WCF this year.

But, they will have enough to add another max, or near max, player next Summer.

I would swap OKC and GSW but I agree on SAS at #1 and LAC at #4

 

[Mecca]

I would swap OKC and GSW but I agree on SAS at #1 and LAC at #4

Houston will be a factor too.

Damn, the Wild, Wild West!

 

[Turbo]

I'd drop the Spurs to 3 or 4. Not because they can't get the #1 spot, but because Pop doesn't care about it and will manage Timmy, Ginobili and Parker's minutes. There will be games where he doesn't play them at all and games where he will throw in the towel early. He may even manage Aldridge's minutes some, even though it's unnecessary at this point in his career.

They will still most likely end up coming out of the West though.

It wouldn't surprise me either way. Your opinion on the Spurs could be accurate. Although I think after how last season ended for them in Rd 1 against the Clips. I think seeding will have some emphasis this season especially with the way GSW had home-court throughout the playoffs and ran away with the title. Who knows though, anything is possible with Pop and Co.

 

[Black Adam]

Houston will be a factor too.

Damn, the Wild, Wild West!

 

[The Derski]

They will be in the hunt every year as long as they have Paul. Problem is they are the Clippers. It just won't happen.

 

[ducky]

That team doesn't have the talent to win a NBA championship. That's won't be Doc's fault.

They just don't have enough balanced player's:
Jordan: Good defense....terrible offense without spacing and cant' play when teams want to use a hack-the-lazy asshole-who-won't-spend-the-time-it-takes-to-get-good-at-free-throws strategy.
Griffin: Good offensively not enough dirty work for a big.
Stephenson: Athletic but just a trainwreck mentally on the floor (I've seen 8th graders with better basketball awareness skills).
Reddick: Shooter and that is it.

And the bench doesn't have a well rounded player on it either.

The key is going to be Stephenson for them I think. They need him to take a HUGE step forward for them if they want to advance in the playoffs. Even Indiana Stephenson likely won't be good enough.

 

[WickedGoodPostah]

I personally think Doc is a great coach. His players love playing for him, I think that speaks volumes considering none of us are in the locker room and they are. I find it comical how people talk about championships as if they are so easy to come by. Doc is all of a sudden this fraud of a coach. Its just pure idiocy. That said I the clippers are one of maybe 5-7 teams that you can actually say has a legitimate chance. So I guess my answer is maybe? You could ask that question about a lot of coaches. Doc has his ring.

 

[ManuForever]

I personally think Doc is a great coach. His players love playing for him, I think that speaks volumes considering none of us are in the locker room and they are. I find it comical how people talk about championships as if they are so easy to come by. Doc is all of a sudden this fraud of a coach. Its just pure idiocy. That said I the clippers are one of maybe 5-7 teams that you can actually say has a legitimate chance. So I guess my answer is maybe? You could ask that question about a lot of coaches. Doc has his ring.

If they could all grow up, stop whining all the damn time and play together on BOTH sides of the ball, they'll have a legitimate chance. Don't think it has anything to do with Doc. We all know how great of a coach he is. It's on the players.