Golden State Warriors: Ranking 5 biggest challengers in West
By Tony Pesta
LA Clippers can challenge Golden State Warriors for a playoff spot
Life will not be easy for the LA Clippers who are set to play a majority (if not the entire) season without Kawhi Leonard. A torn ACL is something that can be fully overcome with modern medicine but Kawhi’s laundry list of leg injuries is a reason for concern.
Even so, the Clippers can not be counted out. With the Golden State Warriors looking to crack into the playoff picture — they’ll need to bump somebody who was present last year. This makes the Clippers one of their prime competitors.
The Dubs have plenty of early-season adversities they need to overcome. The introduction of a few free agents and the debut of two rookies will lead to some growing pains. And, Klay Thompson is not expected to return until Christmas.
Assuming the Clippers have just enough to stay afloat even without Kawhi, this inner-division rivalry could become a battle for the final playoff spots.
Paul George was a top-three MVP candidate the year before joining the Clippers and looked like a superstar in the playoffs without Kawhi. I’d expect George to keep the Clippers in the postseason picture and contend with the Dubs for one of the non-Play-In positions.