The Los Angeles Clippers made a splash earlier this week, lastly pulling the set off on a commerce that brings in former MVP James Harden so as to add to their core of gamers. Harden is teammates with Russell Westbrook for the third time in his profession, and can be part of forces with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in an effort to chase his first NBA championship.
Are The Lakers The Greatest NBA Staff In Los Angeles?
“The Clippers have primarily owned the Lakers during the last a number of years.”
Stephen A. Smith says the Clippers are the very best workforce in Los Angeles 👀
(by way of @FirstTake)pic.twitter.com/yKF3zRCs3H
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 1, 2023
His talent stage and talent to contribute aren’t precisely what they was once, as Harden was one of the vital feared offensive threats in league historical past. He’s growing old and has seen his numbers take a dip because the years go by, however his 21 factors per sport in 2022-23 was sufficient to (barely) preserve his standing as “star participant”, and he did lead the league in assists final 12 months with 10.7 per sport.
However does he transfer the needle sufficient for the Clippers to be thought of NBA Finals favorites? Their odds went down at sportsbooks throughout America, however there are nonetheless a handful of Western Convention groups which have higher odds, in addition to the Bucks and Celtics out of the East.
Clippers Have Gained 11 In A Row In opposition to Lakers
Welcome to #ClipperNation, James Harden! pic.twitter.com/ff6fut11yW
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 1, 2023
There are some who imagine that Harden’s new workforce has what it takes to problem a few of the high groups within the West. On ESPN’s First Tackle Wednesday, Smith laid out how he believes that the Clippers are the workforce to beat in Los Angeles, and never the Lakers:
The Clippers have primarily owned the Los Angeles Lakers during the last a number of years…Till the Lakers discover a solution to beat them, I’m going to keep up that place.
The Lakers after all have a championship to their names that they received again in 2020, however there isn’t a denying the outcomes when the 2 meet head-to-head. The Clippers are presently on an 11-game win streak between the 2, with their final loss to the Lakers approaching July thirtieth, 2020 (in the course of the COVID 12 months). In truth, should you go all the best way again to January 2010, the Clippers have received 40 of the final 53 matchups with the Lakers.
The Lakers are presently listed at +1000 to win the NBA championship, however the Clippers aren’t far behind at +1200.
