Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's meteoric rise has been phenomenal

 

                                             (Credit: Kyle Phillips/AP file) 

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be facing the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, starting this Thursday. The Thunder took out the Timberwolves in five games while the Pacers took out the Knicks in six. The star of this year's Thunder team has been point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is a three-time All-star and also this season's NBA MVP. In just his seventh season, Gilgeous-Alexander has risen to superstar status. It's truly been a phenomenal and meteoric rise. 

Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on draft day. Gilgeous-Alexander had a solid rookie season with the Clippers, averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, finishing 6th in the Rookie of the Year voting. Despite that strong season, the Clippers traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the summer in a mega trade that landed them Paul George. 

In hindsight, that traded ended up being a big mistake for the Clippers as Gilgeous-Alexander began his rise to stardom the next season, averaging 19.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Since then, he's gotten better each season and in the last three seasons, he's been an All-Star, averaging 30+ points per game, finishing top-five in the MVP voting each of those three seasons and of course this year, taking home the hardware with a first place finish. In his MVP season this year, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, leading the league in points per game, field goal attempts per game, and free throws made per game. 

During the playoffs, Gilgeous-Alexander has played up to his MVP status, averaging 29.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, guiding the Thunder to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012. He's done a terrific job of making plays for his teammates and being someone who they can count on to make winning plays in crunch time. What makes him so good is the fact that he is effective on both ends of the floor as a true two-way player. He plays elite defense on top of being an elite finisher, scorer, and facilitator. The greatest players of all-time get it done on both ends of the floor and he has clearly taken that to heart. 

Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, it'll be fun to see how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander performs. His rapid ascension to the top of the NBA has been spectacular and as a result, he's being rewarded with the chance to showcase his skills on the game's biggest stage. Well deserved! 

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Saturday Slam: Making sense of the Clippers-Mavericks series

                                                 (Credit: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports) 

The NBA more than any other pro sports league values home court/field advantage. But in this year's first round Western Conference series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, home court advantage has become home court disadvantage as the road team has won the first six games. This is the first time this has happened in NBA playoff history. Game 7 will be on Sunday in Los Angeles, which I guess means the Mavericks should be favored. In this blog post, I want to quickly analyze what has happened in this series and what we can expect to happen on Sunday. 

The Mavericks won Game 1 113-103 in Los Angeles behind 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists from Luka Doncic. 21 points from Tim Hardaway, Jr. and 18 points from Dorian Finney-Smith, both of whom also start, made a difference as well as 15 points off the bench from Jalen Brunson. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard (26 points) and Paul George (23 points) stepped up, but they didn't get enough help. As a team, the Mavericks made 17 three-pointers, while the Clippers made 11. That seemed to make a pretty big difference in the game. 

Going on to Game 2, the Mavericks once again won, though this time it was closer (127-121). Doncic exploded for 39 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists while Hardaway, Jr. (28 points & 5 assists) and Kristaps Porzingis (20 points) had big nights as well. For the Clippers, it was more of the same: A huge night from Leonard (41 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) and a double-double from George (28 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists) while not getting much help from anyone else. 18 made threes from the Mavericks and 13 made threes from the Clippers made a difference similar to Game 1. 

Game 3 went the Clippers' way as the series shifted to Dallas by a final score of 118-108. The Clippers got down 30-11 in the first quarter, but found a way to bounce back. I had pronounced them dead, but they proved me wrong.

Leonard (36 points) and George (29 points) once again had big nights, but this time it was the role guys that stepped up. Reggie Jackson's 16 points and Marcus Morris' 15 points were just what the doctor ordered. Meanwhile for the Mavericks, it was basically Luka Doncic going wild with 44 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists without much from anyone else. 

The Mavericks' three-point shooting was hot again as they made 20 threes, to the Clippers' 13, so in that vein it's a little odd they didn't win Game 3. But, the Clippers did outbound them 39-33 and also shot 57.9% from the field compared to the Mavericks' 44.2%, so three-point shooting obviously isn't everything in this series. 

In Game 4, the Clippers won big 106-81 to tie the series up 2-2. Leonard's 29 points and George's 20 points led the way. Doncic had a quiet 19 points and he was the top scorer for the Mavericks. So, this game wasn't really all that competitive. 

In Game 5, the Mavericks stole back home court, winning by a final score of 105-100. Doncic exploded for 42 points, 8 rebounds, and 14 assists while Hardaway, Jr. chipped in 20 points. Leonard didn't have his best outing as he had 20 points. George was the top performer with his 23 points and 10 rebounds. Jackson (20 points) and Morris (16 points) played pretty well, but Leonard having an off-night relative to his standards did the Clippers in. 

In Game 6, the Clippers won 104-97 to force a Game 7 as Leonard really took the team on his back with 45 points and 6 rebounds, his best performance of the series. George also had a nice night with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Jackson had a series high 25 points.  As for the Mavericks, Doncic had 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, which is very good performance while Hardaway, Jr. had 23 points. The problem for the Mavericks is nobody else really stepped up. 

So, that's where things sit as we head into Sunday's series deciding Game 7. As far as what we can learn from the first six games, it's clear that star power is key. When Kawhi Leonard goes off and is the best player in the game, the Clippers win. When Luka Doncic is the top performer and goes off, the Mavericks win. It also seems like when those guys get going for their respective teams, their teammates feed off that and play better as a result. 

What does help Leonard is the presence of George, who for the most part has been a pretty reliable number two option. Doncic doesn't have that same number two guy who he can consistently depend on, but if there were to be such a guy on the Mavericks, it would be Hardaway, Jr. who has played pretty well this series. 

As far as my prediction is concerned, obviously anything can happen in a Game 7 and we are in uncharted waters here as it's the first Game 7 in NBA playoffs history where the road team has won every game in the series. So, it's hard to just pick the Clippers to win Game 7 because they are at home. 

That said, I do think the Clippers will win Game 7. Not because they are at home but because they are the slightly better team. If Leonard can go wild and George does his regular thing, that should be enough for the Clippers to win provided they get decent support from their role players. Doncic has to do more for his team and I think that's starting to wear on him a bit as the series goes on. But once again, anything can happen. The Mavericks winning certainly wouldn't surprise me. It's going to be fun to see how this one plays out! 

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Tomahawk Tuesday: How concerned should the Los Angeles Lakers be right now?

 

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 5th in the Western Conference standings, 8 games back of the top seeded Utah Jazz, 7 games back of the Phoenix Suns, 6 games back of their inner city rivals Los Angeles Clippers, and 4 games back of the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers have slipped back in the standings due to LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf) missing extended periods of time. James has played in 41 games this season while Davis has played in 26. Fortunately for the Lakers, Davis is now back, having played three games since his return. But James' return date is still up in the air. 

To the question at hand, the Lakers should be moderately concerned right now, but there's no reason to panic. They're the defending champs and at full strength, they should be favored to come out of the Western Conference. All four of the teams ahead of them are teams that have never won an NBA championship, which means all four of those teams still have a lot to prove. 

On top of that, some of those teams ahead of them are dealing with injury issues of their own. The Jazz have had to play without Donovan Mitchell for the past 10+ days or so due to his ankle injury and the Nuggets have lost Jamal Murray for the season due to a torn ACL. The Suns' Chris Paul has had injury issues in the past and the Clippers' Paul George likewise has found ways to get hurt in the playoffs. So, everyone is dealing with injuries right now or at least has the threat of injuries hurting their seasons. 

That all said, the Lakers still find themselves in a tricky spot. If they stay at the 5 spot, they'll likely have to win the championship without home court advantage in every series they play in. Home court advantage is crucial in the NBA and to not have it puts your team at a real disadvantage. Plus, they have no shot at winning the title without James and Davis healthy. If those guys go down again come playoff time, it's game over. 

I'm confident that James will be fine in the playoffs. He's rarely shut down like this and I suspect part of this is just being overly cautious for the playoffs. But Davis has had real injury issues for his entire career, which is why I was skeptical of their title chances a year ago. So, he's definitely one to watch throughout the duration of the season. 

The bottom line is the Lakers still are the slight favorites to come out of the Western Conference in my book, but they have their work cut out for them and none of the teams ahead of them are going to back down without putting up a real fight. The Jazz, Suns, and Clippers in particular see an opening here and have to be motivated to see a wounded Lakers team currently chasing them. It'll be interesting to see how they finish the season and whether or not the Lakers will be able to gain some ground before the playoffs start. 

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Saturday Slam: It's about time the Los Angeles Clippers get their own arena

                                          (Credit: Brad Graverson/The Daily Breeze/SCNG)

Earlier this week, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer purchased the Forum in Inglewood, California for a cool $400M from The Madison Square Garden Company. This purchase helps pave the way for the Clippers to get their own arena in Inglewood. It should be noted that the Forum isn't being torn down and will remain as a concert venue. However, the Clippers' new arena will also be able to serve as a concert venue, making it competition to the Forum. That is, unless the Forum and the Clippers new arena are owned by the same company. So, in case you were wondering why Ballmer needed to purchase the Forum, that's why.

As for the title of this blog post, it really is about time the Clippers finally get their own arena in Los Angeles. I've believed for the longest time that the Clippers should have their own arena and have wondered why they didn't move into the Honda Center (home of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks) years ago.

During their entire time in the Staples Center, the Clippers have been second fiddle to the Lakers. At times it's almost been awkward. There was the whole controversy of them putting black drapes over Lakers banners during their home games to get some distance from their more successful co-tenants. But no matter how many drapes they put up in the Staples Center or whatever other moves they make, so long as they play in the Staples Center, the Clippers will always be the B-team in Los Angeles.

But by finally having plans to have an arena all to themselves, the Clippers can finally establish their own identity that is separate from the Lakers. Especially since they'll be in a different part of town. Typically, I'm not a fan of all these teams getting new arenas, but the Clippers are one team that I feel really needs to get a new home that they can truly call their own. It's the principle of the thing.

What also helps is that with Ballmer at the helm, the Clippers are actually putting a competitive product on the floor. These aren't the Clippers of the 1990s and 2000s that were dismal. They're finally a championship contending team and should treat themselves as such by getting their own arena.

As for when the arena is scheduled to be completed, per Wikipedia, construction is supposed to begin in 2021 with a completion date in the fall of 2024. So if you're a Clippers fan that is nostalgic for the Staples Center era, you have at least a few more years to enjoy it. However, I bet that most Clippers fans can hardly contain their excitement for this new arena and are eager to say goodbye to the Staples Center. Saying goodbye is often hard, but in this instance, saying goodbye will be a feeling of sweet relief for the Clippers and their loyal fans.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Marcus Morris should be a good fit for the Los Angeles Clippers

                                         (Credit: Tony Dejak/Associated Press) 


At the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Clippers acquired Marcus Morris from the New York Knicks in a 3-way deal that also included the Washington Wizards. In case you are wondering, the Clippers do not intend to keep Isaiah Thomas, who was included in the deal.

Morris was averaging 19.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season with the Knicks as their leading scorer. With the Clippers, he will be asked to play much more of a support role as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are their top two options while Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell are their third and fourth options. As a quick digression, it says a lot about how bad the Knicks are that their top scorer would be a fifth option on a contending team!

To summarize the #Knicks, #Clippers, #Wizards trade via Shams Charania, Adrian Wojnarowski, and Mike Vorkunov: Knicks are getting Moe Harkless, a 2020 first round pick, and the rights to Issuf Sanon. Clippers get Marcus Morris and Isaiah Thomas. Wizards get Jerome Robinson. #NBA

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) February 9, 2020

As I said above, what Morris brings to this Clippers team is additional depth. He can score and he can rebound. That's pretty much it, but that's all the Clippers really need more of. He should be able to take a little bit of pressure off their top four scorers and be an extra body in case one of them goes down.

Make no mistake, this move was made squarely for the Clippers' playoff push. He's on an expiring contract and it's no guarantee that he even re-signs with them in the offseason. The Clippers are using him as a short-term rental that can hopefully lift them ahead of their rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Personally, I feel Marcus Morris should be a good fit for this Clippers team. He should be able to give George, Leonard, and Harrell more time to rest while also producing at a high clip when he's in the game. While the Clippers' move for Morris was overshadowed by some other deals that were made, we may look back at their move as the most impactful one in terms of what happens come playoff time.

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Saturday Slam: The Los Angeles Clippers are starting to gel

                                         (Credit: Sports Illustrated) 

In last week's Saturday Slam piece, I wrote about the Los Angeles Lakers. This week I'm writing about the team who they share the same building with: The Los Angeles Clippers. At 20-7, the Clippers are just 3.5 games back of the 23-3 Lakers and starting to look like the team we all thought they would be.

On Friday night in Minnesota, Paul George (46 points) and Kawhi Leonard (42 points) became the first duo in franchise history to each score 40+ points in a game, guiding the Clippers to their fourth straight win. The two of them are forming a really scary tandem, capable of scoring, rebounding, and playing elite defense.

Around George and Leonard is a killer supporting cast in Lou Williams (19.9 points & 6.2 assists), Montrezl Harrell (18.7 points & 7.6 rebounds), Landry Shamet (9.1 points), and Patrick Beverley (7.8 points & 1.5 steals). These four guys are the glue. The ones who really make the engine go.

As we saw last year, these guys were capable of playing winning basketball before George and Leonard arrived. They just didn't have enough to go all the way. What George and Leonard are able to give the Clippers is that extra boost to become a true championship contender. In addition to having a steak, you need a little sizzle to win an NBA championship and the Clippers have that now.

While the Lakers are the favorites to come out of the West, the one team they should be keeping a close eye on is the Clippers. The Clippers have a legitimate one-two punch in George and Leonard, a great supporting cast, and toughness. Harrell and Beverley are the kind of players who won't back down to anyone and after what we saw him do in the NBA Finals last season, there's no reason to think Leonard is afraid of anyone, either. It's going to be fun to see what they do in 2020.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Los Angeles Clippers send early message to Lakers on opening night

                                          (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) 

On opening night, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated their crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers 112-102 behind 30 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block from Kawhi Leonard. Even though it was just one game, the Clippers sent an early message to the Lakers by winning this game. Especially since Paul George (shoulder) did not play.

To a large extent, there was a lot of mystery going into this game considering the fact that both teams have rebranded themselves. The Clippers have added Leonard and George while the Lakers have brought in Anthony Davis, Danny Green, and others to join LeBron James. Both teams expect to make deep playoff runs and contend for the NBA championship as a result of their offseason moves. Given that both teams have a lot of new pieces, what we saw tonight is just a prelude to what we'll see come May and possibly June.

That all said, it's still huge for the Clippers to win this game considering the rivalry that they have with the Lakers. By winning tonight, they set the tone for the rivalry and made it clear to the rest of the Western Conference in the process that they are indeed a legit threat to win the conference despite having a ton of new pieces. Once George comes back, that should take them to another level, which is kind of scary to think of.

As for the Lakers side of this, they have to brush this off as one game and remind themselves that they too were short handed as Rajon Rondo and Kyle Kuzma were both out. On top of that, they're still figuring out how to get their pieces to work together and that come the second half of the season, they're going to look a lot more cohesive.

Overall, tonight was a good night for the NBA. The Clippers and Lakers played a hard fought game, showing that their rivalry should be fun over the course of this season and possibly beyond. The NBA has been stagnant when it comes to rivalries over the years, so this should give the league a nice little pop during the course of the regular season and hopefully the playoffs.

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Saturday Slam: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are heading to the Los Angeles Clippers

                                          (Credit: Frank Gunn-The Associated Press) 

On Friday night, I wrote a blog post for Saturday all about why Kawhi Leonard should stay in Toronto, why he would be foolish to leave behind a situation where he is the toast of the city and hero to all of Canada and then boom! News broke that Leonard was joining the Los Angeles Clippers! Even more amazingly, news subsequently broke that Paul George will be joining him as a result of being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and two pick swaps. The Clippers have also waived Tyrone Wallace as a result. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has the details below.

ESPN story on the Clippers bombshell acquisitions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George: https://t.co/CYnIGPhipn

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019

With Leonard and George, the Clippers have a legitimate one-two punch that has the chance to win a championship. Aside from the photo, the one vestigial remain of my original Saturday Slam post for this weekend is that the Clippers are a better choice for Leonard than the Lakers.

The first reason is because the Clippers were a better team last season. Unlike the Lakers, the Clippers actually made the playoffs, giving the Warriors a bit of a scare in the first round. The Clippers looked like a team that was going places and by adding Leonard and George, they're more than just going places. They're entering themselves into the championship discussion.

The second reason is that the Clippers will be Leonard's team. Had he joined the Lakers, Leonard would have been second fiddle to LeBron James. Or at least that would have been the perception. Instead, Leonard gets to be the the man on this new and improved Clippers team, giving him a chance to go after James and prove himself to be the superior player.

Third, there's less pressure on Leonard. The Clippers have never won a championship before and quite frankly have never come close. By going to the Clippers, Leonard is able to be somewhat in the shadows of the Lakers, something that he doesn't mind.

Fourth, as was said above, Leonard gets to play with Paul George, one of the best wings in the NBA. George should play well alongside Leonard, giving the Clippers a legit second option. Together, Leonard and George have the chance to do a lot of damage and take the Clippers to even higher heights than they achieved during the Chris Paul/Blake Griffin era.

I will later address what this all means for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors, but for now, I want to focus on the Clippers. For them this is huge. They're in the game now and a real threat to win the NBA championship. On top of that, they're set to form a really fun crosstown rivalry with the Lakers, something that is certain to boost ratings across the league. As exciting as this past NBA season was, I'm already eager to see what next season has in store.


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Mock Draft Monday: Five teams that need to get it right in the 2019 NBA Draft

While no team wants to mess up in the NBA draft, some teams have more of a cushion than others. For some teams, the draft is a chance to change the fortunes of their future or at least begin the process of doing so. Below is a list of five teams that really need to make sure they get it right come Thursday, June 20th. I should note that I'm not addressing the Pelicans, Grizzlies, or Knicks since it's pretty clear what they're going to do. The Pelicans are expected to take Zion Williamson, the Grizzlies are expected to take Ja Morant, and the Knicks are expected to take R.J. Barrett. If any of those three teams mess it up, their GM should be sent down the Amazon river tied to a wooden raft.

The Lakers have several different options that they can choose from. They can go with Virginia small forward  DeAndre Hunter, Vanderbilt point guard Darius Garland, or even Maryland center Bruno Fernando if they want to go big. They could also trade the pick. Given all the turmoil in their front office, they need to make sure that on draft day, they make the right call. They can't let their dysfunction bleed into the draft, which might be easier said than done. 

The Bulls were hoping to win the Zion Williamson sweepstakes and instead they're picking 7th. Fortunately for them, there's a lot of talent that they can choose from if they keep the pick. Nassir Little who I'm really high on could be available. Other talented guys like Cameron Reddish should also be available. After not getting the chance to draft Williamson, the Bulls need to at least make sure they find the right fit for their team with the 7th pick. Don't compound bad luck by making an unwise pick. There's still a chance the Bulls walk away as one of the winners from this draft provided they do their homework.

The Phoenix Suns currently possess the 6th overall pick in the draft and already have a talented young core with Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker. What this team needs more than anything is a veteran leader, ideally a point guard, that can run the offense and help mentor the younger guys. With this being the case, it makes sense for them to explore trade packages and see if they can perhaps get such a point guard by giving up the pick. Having the 6th pick isn't bad, so unless they really get a good deal, they should keep the pick and maybe see if they can land a point guard the old fashioned way. NBADraft.net actually has North Carolina point guard Coby White going to the Suns 6th overall, so perhaps that is the direction they should go.

Note: My friend Brandon Condron runs a really good Phoenix Suns channel on YouTube. He addressed this topic a little while back. Click here to check it out.

The Wizards are picking 9th overall and with the John Wall/Bradley Beal era not yielding enough fruit, they need to revamp their look ASAP. There's plenty of talented players for them to choose from with this pick or like the Suns they could trade the pick and get some veteran help in return. Regardless of what they do, they have to make the right decision. What adds to the drama in all of this is they still don't have a general manager. The Wizards are a bit dysfunctional at the moment, but doing well in the draft could do wonders to steady the boat.

The Hawks recently made a trade sending Taurean Prince and a 2021 second round pick to the Nets for Allen Crabbe and the No. 17 overall pick in this year's draft and a protected first round pick in 2020. As a result of this trade, the Hawks now have three picks in the first round of this year's draft (#8, #10, and #17). On top of that, they have three second round picks, giving them six picks in total. With so much flexibility and picks to play with, the Hawks have a lot of freedom. But with that freedom comes responsibility. They need to make sure they use all these picks to the best of their advantage. If they do, they could walk out as one of the big winners from the draft.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Could the Los Angeles Clippers knock off the Golden State Warriors?

                                                      (Credit: Getty Images)

On Monday night, the Los Angeles Clippers pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history, defeating the Golden State Warriors 135-131 after trailing 94-63 with 7:30 to go in the 3rd quarter. While the Warriors didn't blow a 3-1 series lead like they did to the Cleveland Cavaliers, they did blow a 31 point lead, so the numbers 3 and 1 aren't exactly the most friendly to the Warriors. While a lot of people are going to make this about the Warriors and their second half collapse, I want to make this all about the Clippers and focus on their chances to actually win this series.

On the surface, the odds of the Clippers winning this series still seem low. We've seen teams get a shocking split on the road only to fail to deliver the goods at home. What makes upsets in the NBA playoffs so tough is you gotta beat the better team four out of seven times, which is no easy task. Especially when you're trying to knock off a team that is as talented as the Warriors. That all said, there are some reasons to think the Clippers might actually shock the basketball world and advance to the second round.

The first reason is the Warriors are going to have to soldier on without DeMarcus Cousins, who is out indefinitely with a torn left quadriceps. With Cousins out, the Warriors don't have much of a presence in the paint, giving Montrezl Harrell a golden opportunity to make his presence felt inside. Harrell finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds on Monday, showing why he's one of the best post players in the game. If the Warriors can't find a way to better protect the paint, Harrell could eat them for lunch all series long.

The second reason is the Clippers have Patrick Beverley. As Charles Barkley once said, in order to find success in the playoffs, you need to have a crazy guy and the Clippers have one in Beverley. He's a grade-A irritant and a fantastic defender cut out of the DeShawn Stevenson cloth. Beverley appears to be getting in the Warriors' head a bit and has a real opportunity to give Draymond Green a little taste of his own medicine.

The third reason is Lou Williams ain't scared. Williams scored 36 points and dished out 11 assists on Monday, doing a fantastic job of willing his team back to victory. He hit a lot of clutch shots down the stretch and played like a guy that lives for the big moments. When you got a guy like that on your squad, you always got a chance.

The fourth reason is the Clippers have Doc Rivers, who I feel is the most under-appreciated coach in the NBA. After his inability to win a ring with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, many wrote off Rivers as one that could only win with the likes of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. In truth, he's a fantastic coach and is doing his best work since his days in Boston. These Clippers are playing like a team and everyone is buying into Rivers' system. When you have a coach like Rivers, you got a shot to shock the world.

While the Warriors should be favored to win this series, they should not feel like they're guaranteed to win it. The Clippers are brimming with confidence after their historic comeback and now head to Los Angeles for two straight games. As crazy as this is to say, the Warriors are in real danger just two games into these playoffs.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Are the Clippers the best team in Los Angeles?

The Western Conference has been pretty wild and the Los Angeles Clippers leading the pack just underscores this fact. The Clippers have won 8 of their last 10 games and are in first place in the Western Conference with a 13-6 record, ahead of the Golden State Warriors (15-7), Denver Nuggets (14-7), and Oklahoma City Thunder (12-7). With Blake Griffin going to the Detroit Pistons and DeAndre Jordan going to the Dallas Mavericks, many people including myself saw this Clippers team entering a rebuilding phase. Instead, they are holding their own and showing they intend to compete in the here and now.

What accounts for the Clippers' early success is their balance. While Tobias Harris is the top scorer averaging 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, he has a lot of help around him. Danilo Gallinari (18.6 points), Lou Williams (17.8 points), Montrezl Harrell (15.8 points), and even rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (10.5 points) are also scoring in double figures on average. When you have this kind of balance, you become tough to prepare for because of all the different ways you can beat opponents.

While we rarely see teams with this kind of balance, that doesn't mean it can't be an effective model. The 2003-04 Detroit Pistons won an NBA championship because of their balance: Richard Hamilton (17.6 points), Chauncey Billups (16.9 points), Rasheed Wallace (13.7 points), Tayshaun Prince (10.3 points), Mehmet Okur (9.6 points), Ben Wallace (9.5 points), and Corliss Williamson (9.5 points) all chipped in and helped to take the pressure off of one another on offense. On defense, this Pistons team was even better, holding opponents to 84.3 points per game on 41.3% shooting from the field and 30.2% shooting from 3-point range.

When looking at this Clippers team, they have a similar scoring distribution as that Pistons team did. While they're allowing 112.5 points per game, they're holding opponents to 43.5% shooting from the field and 33.3% shooting from 3-point range. The potential to play good defense is definitely there. Especially on the perimeter where they have both Avery Bradley and Patrick Beverley.

Even though it's too early to say whether or not these Clippers are the next 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, it's not too early to acknowledge the fact that they're playing good basketball.  For all the buzz the Lakers had in getting LeBron James, they're currently 7th in the Western Conference, 2.5 games back of the Clippers. While they don't have the same level of star power, the Clippers are getting it done and until proven otherwise, they have to be considered the best team in Los Angeles.

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NBALord.com Pacific Division Preview

I was debating about whether or not to preview the conferences as a whole or if I should do it the old school way by divisions. Since I wish the NBA placed more of a premium on divisions for the purpose of creating more rivalries, I'm going to preview the NBA season by divisions. Up first is the Pacific Division, home to the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, and Phoenix Suns.

The Golden State Warriors are the defending NBA champions and are the odds on favorites to win it all again. Their core is back and on top of that they've added DeMarcus Cousins, who is coming back from a torn Achilles injury.

The bottom line with the Warriors is that so long as they stay healthy, they're going to be almost impossible to stop this year. They simply have too many weapons for any other team to deal with. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the greatest shooting backcourt in NBA history, Kevin Durant is one of the best pure scorers in NBA history, and Draymond Green is one of the most underrated players in NBA history. When you then add a defensive specialist like Andre Iguodala and a supremely gifted big man like DeMarcus Cousins to the mix, you have a team that is virtually unstoppable.

The main thing to look for with this Warriors team is how Cousins fits in and how productive he can be coming back from such a serious injury. The good news is they don't really need him until May and June and if he becomes a headache in the locker room, they can always cut him. It's a low risk high reward move that could pay off handsomely.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a new lease on life after landing LeBron James in free agency. Joining James in Los Angeles is Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley, Kyle Kuzma, and JaVale McGee. The Lakers may not be favored to win the NBA championship this year, but they have a very interesting squad nonetheless.

Personally, I believe the Lakers are going to be very good this year and have the chance to make a deep playoff run. If you have LeBron James on your team, you should never be counted out. LeBron has reached the NBA Finals with lesser talent around him, so they definitely should be feeling confident.

The major question mark is how the surrounding pieces will work together. Rondo, Stephenson, Beasley, and McGee make any team they're on more interesting by themselves. Together, they could form one of the most entertaining teams we've ever seen. Entertaining isn't always a good thing, though. What I'm particularly curious to see is what the Lakers' roster looks like after the trade deadline. I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of these guys shipped out before the season comes to an end.

The Sacramento Kings are in rebuilding mode, but hopefully for them they finally have a core they can build around in De'Aaron Fox, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Marvin Bagley III. Fox had a solid rookie year, averaging 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game and looks to have an even more impressive sophomore year. I think he'll prove to be a really good point guard in this league.

The big question is whether or not Bagley is the real deal. He looked like a men among boys in college and has the tools to be an elite player in the NBA. It is imperative for the Kings that he has a big year. If he does, the future will look bright. If he struggles and has an underwhelming season, the future will look murky.

The Los Angeles Clippers don't really appear to have an identity right now. Blake Griffin is in Detroit, Chris Paul is in Houston, and DeAndre Jordan is in Dallas. It's a totally new team led by Lou Williams, Avery Bradley, Patrick Beverley, and Tobias Harris. It's unclear what this team is with them as their new core. Rookie point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an intriguing talent and could prove to be the next star of this franchise, so it's not like the cupboard is totally barren here.

The change in direction was necessary, but not if it comes with lacking an identity. The Clippers need to find an identity this season if they want to feel good about this change in direction. Otherwise, they'll just go back to being the Clippers of old and that's definitely not a good thing.

DeAndre Ayton is looking like the real deal so far and with quality wings in Devin Booker and Josh Jackson alongside him, the Phoenix Suns finally have a team to be excited about. Actually, outside of the Warriors and Lakers, the Suns have more long term upside than anyone else in this division. The key for them is to keep these pieces together and get everyone to buy into their long term future. Locking in Devin Booker to a five-year, $158M extension helps a ton in that regard.

As far as this season is concerned, if the Suns can win 30+ games, that will indicate significant progress from last season's 21-61 record. They need to look at this as a retooling season and a chance for everyone to get comfortable with one another. If their core has fun playing together and is able to develop some chemistry, it will be a successful season in Phoenix.

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Saturday Slam: Five likely landing spots for Jimmy Butler

                                          (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) 

Earlier this week on NBALord.com, I addressed the tension growing between Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler and head coach Tom Thibodeau. Since that article was published on Tuesday, multiple reports have surfaced that confirm that the Timberwolves will indeed look to move Butler and that he will not be present at team media day on Monday.

Sources: Minnesota owner Glen Taylor has made it clear to President/Coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Scott Layden that Jimmy Butler's on the trade block and Taylor wants the front office moving to find a deal. Taylor is pushing for a fast resolution.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 23, 2018

All-Star Jimmy Butler has been granted permission to not participate in Minnesota Timberwolves‘ media day on Monday, league sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2018

Personally, I think the Timberwolves should entertain the possibility of firing Thibodeau if that will keep Butler around, but it does not look like they are going to go that route. With that being the case, below are five likely landing spots for Butler.

#1. Los Angeles Clippers: There have been additional reports that Jimmy Butler would prefer to get traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He likes Los Angeles and the Clippers are in need of a new superstar to build around.  The Clippers also have some assets that the Timberwolves might like such as Tyrone Wallace, Lou Williams, and rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. If the Timberwolves want to get rid of Butler as quickly as possible, the Clippers should be the first team they call.

#2. Milwaukee Bucks: Butler played his college ball at Marquette in Milwaukee, so going to the Bucks would be a homecoming of sorts for him. I don't know if a duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Butler would be enough to get the Bucks to the NBA Finals, but it would certainly be interesting to find out.

#3. Los Angeles Lakers: If Butler wants to go to Los Angeles, the Lakers are the only other alternative to the Clippers. What makes the Lakers a likely landing spot for Butler is they have a ton of assets to offer and are in desperate need of another superstar to pair with LeBron James. A duo of James and Butler would wreak some serious havoc in the Western Conference. They'd be instant contenders.

#4. New York Knicks:  The New York Knicks are rumored to be on Butler's list of preferred destinations and they could really use another superstar to pair with Kristaps Porzingis. If the Knicks can land Butler, they'll definitely be cooking with gas at Madison Square Garden. I don't know how good they'd be, but they'd be an instant playoff team in the Eastern Conference.

#5. Brooklyn Nets: The Brooklyn Nets are also rumored to be on Butler's list of preferred destinations and they are in desperate need of a superstar. On top of that, they have the space to sign him. Like Chicago and New York, an added bonus of trading Butler to Brooklyn is that he'd be out of the conference. The Timberwolves are probably hesitant to help out a team that they might end up facing in the playoffs, upping the odds of Butler getting shipped out East.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Taking a quick look at the Western Conference playoff picture

With the NBA regular season concluding next week (April 10th), I thought it would be good to take a quick look at where things sit in the Western Conference playoff picture. One week from now we'll know who's in, who's out, and who's playing who. Until then, it's going to be a wild week with teams jockeying for position.

Who's clinched

At this point, the following three teams have clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference playoffs: Houston Rockets (63-15), Golden State Warriors (57-21), and Portland Trail Blazers (48-30). The Rockets are locked into the #1 seed and the Warriors are locked into the #2 seed, so they can pretty much chill the rest of this week. With all the injuries the Warriors have had, they in particular would be wise to pump the brakes and go easy during this last week.

As for the Trail Blazers, while they have already clinched, they still have a little bit of work to do in order to hang onto the #3 seed and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Their schedule is as follows: @Houston, @San Antonio, @ Denver, and vs. Utah. It's actually a pretty tough schedule, so the Trail Blazers should be looking to go hard all the way until the last night.

Who's in if it started today 

If the playoffs started today, the San Antonio Spurs (45-32), Utah Jazz (45-33), Oklahoma City Thunder (45-34), Minnesota Timberwolves (44-34), and New Orleans Pelicans (43-34) would all be in. The Spurs would have clinched on Tuesday had they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers and had the Denver Nuggets lost. Unfortunately for them, neither of those events happened. The Clippers outscored the Spurs 41-27 in the 4th quarter to win 113-110 and the Nuggets defeated the Indiana Pacers 107-104.

The Spurs still figure to make the playoffs, but they'll have to wait another day to officially punch their ticket. The Jazz are hoping to take advantage of the Spurs' loss and bump themselves up to the #4 seed, which would give them home court advantage in the first round. The Jazz have won three straight games including a 117-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers today. They have a moderately tough schedule coming up, so they could do it but it won't be a cakewalk: vs. Los Angeles Clippers, @Los Angeles Lakers, vs. Golden State, and @Portland.

As for the Thunder and Timberwolves, they have work to do as well, but they have the temporary luxury of being in front of the 8th seeded Pelicans, who are sinking like a stone as we speak. The Pelicans have lost four straight games and have five games remaining vs. Memphis, @Phoenix, @Golden State, @Los Angeles Clippers, and vs. San Antonio. Their last three games are no slam dunk, so they really need to take care of business against Memphis and Phoenix if they want to ensure that they still make the playoffs.

Who's on the outside trying to get in 

If any of the four teams above miss the playoffs, it'll either be the Denver Nuggets (42-35) or Los Angeles Clippers (41-36) who take their spot. The Nuggets have won three straight games and are only one game back of the Pelicans, really turning the heat up as of late. The Nuggets' remaining schedule is as follows: vs. Minnesota, @Los Angeles Clippers, vs. Portland, and @Minnesota. That's a pretty tough schedule, but considering how the Pelicans are playing, they should like their chances of sneaking in.

As for the Clippers, their 113-110 win over the Spurs tonight saved their season. Their remaining schedule is as follows: @Utah, vs. Denver, vs. New Orleans, and vs. Los Angeles Lakers. It's not an easy schedule, but what helps is they have a chance to gain a full game on both the Nuggets and Pelicans if they win those games. Playing at Salt Lake City won't be easy, but if they can somehow pull off a miracle in that game, they'll be well positioned to make up some ground and take out both the Nuggets and Pelicans.

Prediction 

My personal prediction is I think the Spurs, Jazz, Thunder, and Timberwolves will make the playoffs. They still have their work to do, but at the end of the day, I think they'll all make it. As for that 8th spot, I think that is too close to call right now. The Pelicans couldn't be hitting a four game losing skid at a worse time so I really am not feeling that they get in. If I had to make a final prediction, I think the Clippers will be the team that gets in. Their schedule is pretty friendly and tonight's win over the Spurs seems to be sign of things to come.

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Wednesday Windmill: Are the Detroit Pistons now for real after landing Blake Griffin?

                                          (Ryan Garza. Detroit Free Press) 

On Tuesday, I provided analysis of the Blake Griffin trade from the perspective of the Los Angeles Clippers. Today I want to do the same thing from the perspective of the Detroit Pistons. For details on the trade itself, I went through that on Tuesday as well. Click here for that in case you missed it.

At the moment, the Pistons are 23-26 and 1.5 games back of the 8th seeded 76ers in the Eastern Conference standings. By adding Blake Griffin, who is averaging 22.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 7.9 rebounds, the Pistons have now put themselves in the drivers seat to take the 8th seed and possibly move up as high as 4th or 5th. However, this move is much more about the future as opposed to making a late playoff push. The Pistons made this move to compete for championships in the future.

I've always been a big fan of Blake Griffin and believed in his abilities. His combination of skill and charisma make him the perfect face for any NBA franchise. Especially a team with a lot of history like the Pistons. By having a franchise player, the Pistons finally have an identity and something to get them excited about for the future. Griffin won't hit unrestricted free agency until the summer of 2022, so they have some time to put the right pieces around him. What helps is that they already have a really good big man to pair with Griffin in Andre Drummond, who has been named as John Wall's replacement in the All-Star Game. Drummond is averaging 14.8 points and 15.3 rebounds per game, making him one of the most dominant inside presences in the NBA. Together, Griffin and Drummond should form one of the most dynamic frontcourts in the NBA.

What remains to be seen is what the ceiling is of this Pistons team. Can they compete for a championship in the coming years? Are they a real threat to challenge the Celtics? Provided they make more good moves, I don't see why not. As you know, I thought the Clippers could have built a really competitive team around Griffin in the coming seasons, so I have no reason to doubt that the Pistons can do the same. Especially since they are in a weaker conference.

While the Pistons still have more work to do to get where they want to get to, landing Blake Griffin is a huge first step for them. What's scary is that Griffin isn't done getting better. He keeps adding more tools to his kit every year, so he's definitely not over the hump. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure if he's hit his ceiling yet. The Pistons struck gold with this trade and should become a major force in the Eastern Conference over the coming seasons. Goodbye Lob City, hello Motor City.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Trading Blake Griffin means the Los Angeles Clippers are rebuilding

                                                  (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source) 

On Monday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Los Angeles Clippers traded Blake Griffin to the Detroit Pistons. The full deal is as follows: The Clippers send Blake Griffin, Brice Johnson, and Willie Reed to the Pistons for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a protected 2018 first-round pick, and a 2019 second-round pick.

The Clippers are trying to convince people that they are not rebuilding, but don't let them fool you. That's exactly what this trade means. When looking back on it, the Clippers' decision to trade Chris Paul to the Rockets was already an indicator that they were looking to rebuild, but their decision to part ways with Blake Griffin just confirms it. It also appears to only be a matter of time before they part ways with Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan as well.

Given that Blake Griffin is 28 years old and won't hit unrestricted free agency until the summer of 2022, I'm surprised the Clippers made this move. I understand that they fell short of their goals of winning a title during the Chris Paul era, but Griffin is still young enough to build around for the next five years. I would have thought the Clippers would have instead decided to hang onto Griffin and build the whole team around him as opposed to shipping him off when he actually might have his best basketball ahead of him.

Advocates of the move will say that Blake Griffin is too injury prone and not a guy who you can build a championship team around. The former has some merit to it, but I'm not convinced either claim is true. I've always liked Griffin's game and he has shown the willingness to improve his game every season. Griffin is already one of the top players in the game and as I said earlier he's not done getting better. The Clippers could have chosen to make Griffin their franchise centerpiece and continue to build an exciting brand of basketball in Los Angeles. Instead, they've chosen to ship off their most exciting player with the hopes of building a championship contender through the draft and free agency.

If you are guaranteed to draft the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon or something along those lines, then parting ways with Blake Griffin makes sense. But there's no guarantee the Clippers get such a piece via the draft or free agency. Tanking is always a risky proposition because it relies on getting the right pick via lottery, selecting the right player, and also the health of that player. When you have a known commodity like Blake Griffin that has panned out and is committed to getting better, you hang onto that player every time unless you know you have really good odds of getting something better in return. The Clippers don't seem likely to get a better piece, which is why I'm not feeling this move for them.

It feels like today's NBA has embraced this "championship or bust" mentality and while I certainly respect teams for wanting to go all out to win a title, you need to do that with a strategy that will actually pay off. Trading away your franchise player because he hasn't yet led you to a title isn't always the right move to make. Sometimes it's better to be patient and see what you can accomplish with that player as opposed to blowing the whole thing up and wishing upon a star.

Blake Griffin is one of the top players in the league and is not going to be an easy guy to replace. The fact that this move doesn't replace his production or guarantee that the Clippers will replace his production down the line is reason enough for me to dislike the move. I question whether or not this move will pay off for the Clippers in the way that they think it will.

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Tomahawk Tuesday: Clippers and Rockets get chippy in Chris Paul's return to Los Angeles

                                         (Credit: Harry How/Getty Images) 

On Monday, things got a bit chippy between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. It was Chris Paul's first road game against his former team and it appeared as though emotions were very high as a result. The Clippers won the game 113-102 and improved to 22-21 on the season, putting them at the 7th seed in the Western Conference. With the loss, the Rockets fall to 30-12, putting them now 4.5 games back of the top seeded Golden State Warriors.

Things getting chippy in an NBA game is nothing unusual. It happens all the time. What made this game a bit unusual is the way in which things got chippy. Typically, once the final buzzer sounds and both teams go to their respective locker rooms, the chippiness ends and both teams move on to the next game. In the case of this game, things allegedly spilled over into the locker room, with Rockets small forward Trevor Ariza trying to sneak into the Clippers locker room or something weird like that.

Sources: As details emerge on aftermath Rockets-Clippers game, Trevor Ariza remains described as most aggressive and determined to get into opposing locker room — with Chris Paul and James Harden viewed as trying to slow down Ariza. NBA investigation will continue into Wednesday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2018

After the game, both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin tried to downplay what happened and for the most part were respectful towards each other. However, when it came to what happened in the locker room, neither guy admitted fault on his team. They both tried to skirt questions about the matter and not directly describe what happened.

#Rockets PG Chris Paul addresses his return to Los Angeles and their chippy game against the #Clippers... https://t.co/Eh9x2yUquu #NBA

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) January 17, 2018

#Clippers PF Blake Griffin addresses the locker room incident that occurred against the #Rockets on Monday... https://t.co/02QOks3xiU #NBA

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) January 17, 2018

Obviously, if you are the Houston Rockets, the biggest thing you need to worry about is what happens to Trevor Ariza. He's the guy that's been implicated in this bizarre story and if he did indeed do as is being reported, he could be looking at a multi-game suspension. Ariza is having a solid season for the Rockets, averaging 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 42.4% shooting from the field, 38.4% shooting from 3-point range, and 89.1% shooting from the foul line. Losing him for any stretch of time would hurt.

As far as additional commentary is concerned, the guys on Inside the NBA found the whole thing to be rather humorous. Especially the part about the police being outside the locker rooms. I guess they think today's NBA is much softer than the league they played in.

The guys on Inside The NBA weigh in on the locker room drama between the #Clippers and #Rockets on Monday. Clippers won 113-102 in Chris Paul’s return to Los Angeles... https://t.co/Csf3ny3MfE #NBA

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) January 17, 2018

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Skyhook Sunday: Should the Los Angeles Clippers trade DeAndre Jordan?

During the last week or so, DeAndre Jordan's name has come up in trade rumors. According to Gery Woelfel, the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Milwaukee Bucks are all interested in trading for the Los Angeles Clippers' star big man. Further, it sounds like the Clippers are exploring the option of unloading him in order to help them rebuild. 

The reason why the Clippers are considering this is the fact that they are having a down year (8-14) and don't appear to be close to contending with the present cast of players that they have. With Chris Paul gone, the line of thinking is why not blow the whole thing up and start from scratch with Blake Griffin as the centerpiece? 

While tanking and blowing up your franchise is a rather trendy thing for NBA teams to do, that doesn't make it the right move for every team. For the Clippers, given how recently they were contending, they might be better off tweaking their roster and keeping their foundation in place as opposed to essentially starting all over. 

At 29 years of age, DeAndre Jordan is still producing and has several good years left in him, averaging 10.1 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. As an added plus, he's having his best free throw shooting season ever (59.6%). Personally, I think that if the Clippers want to get back to where they were a couple of years ago, they'd be wise to hang on to Jordan as well as Griffin and make them their foundation for the next five years. Everyone else should be on the open market, but trading Jordan or Griffin would mark the end of an era and officially put them back into full blown rebuilding mode. 

If there's anyone who the Clippers should look to be getting rid of, it's Lou Williams, who at 31 years of age is averaging 18.7 points and 4.1 assists per game. Williams still has a lot of value and could command a lot in the trade market. If the Clippers used him as a means to getting some higher draft picks and some younger talent, that would be a fantastic move. 

I understand why the Clippers are exploring the trade market for DeAndre Jordan, but ultimately, I think it would be unwise for them to move him. He still has a lot to give them and alongside Blake Griffin, they could have one of the best front courts in the NBA for the next several years. The Clippers need to press forward with those two guys as their foundation and look for ways to put the right pieces around them in order for them to succeed. 

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Saturday Slam: Did the Houston Rockets give up too much for Chris Paul?

The first major headline in the NBA this week was the news that the Los Angeles Clippers traded Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets. Yahoo! Sports' The Vertical reported that in exchange for Paul, the Clippers receive Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell, DeAndre Liggins, Darrun Hilliard, Kyle Wiltjer, a 2018 first round pick (protected Nos. 1-3), and $661,000 from the Rockets.

On the surface, this looks like a fantastic move for the Rockets. James Harden needs another superstar by his side to make the Rockets a contender and Chris Paul certainly qualifies as a superstar. But when you look closer at this deal, it's possible that the Rockets gave up too much for Paul. Especially when you consider the fact that depth was a major strength of theirs last season.

Last season with the Clippers, Chris Paul averaged 18.1 points, 9.2 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. Those are big time numbers. When you add that to the Houston Rockets, he easily becomes their number two player behind James Harden, who averaged 29.1 points, 11.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.

                                          (Credit: Keith Allison. Click here for source)

However, Lou Williams (14.9 points), Patrick Beverley (9.5 points), Montrezl Harrell (9.1 points), and Sam Dekker (6.5 points) were all solid contributors for the Rockets last season. Especially Williams, Beverley, and Harrell. While Williams is the best player the Rockets traded away, Beverley is the most valuable. He was the only player on the team that actually played defense. He's a tough, hard-nosed perimeter defender that plays very hard on both ends of the floor. When healthy, he has the pieces to give guys like Stephen Curry headaches when they have the ball. Considering that he was the only guy who actually cared to defend, giving away Beverley is no small thing.

When looking at this trade, it's no question that the Rockets gave up a lot to get Chris Paul. They gave away their third best scorer and their top defender. But did they give up too much? At the end of the day, I don't think they did. The fact that they were able to hang on to Eric Gordon, their number two scorer from last season, is huge. Had they given him up, I think that would have perhaps tipped the scale.

The biggest challenge for the Rockets will be to figure out how to get Chris Paul, James Harden, and Eric Gordon to all co-exist in the same backcourt. Having their top three scorers play two positions is an issue that will need to be addressed. The good news is that Eric Gordon is comfortable in an off the bench type of role and shouldn't have any issue playing the role of sixth man on this Rockets team.

Assuming they can figure that part out, the Rockets project to be really good next season. They added the best pure point guard in the NBA and did so without giving up their number two scoring option. Considering what they are up against next season, this is a low-risk high-reward type of move for the Rockets. They played their cards right with this one.

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