NBA Season Preview: Clippers

Mark Rawden, and his associates over at Examiner.com (http://www.examiner.com), are running their own NBA Season Preview for each team in the NBA prior to the beginning of the regular season. Here's a look at the the 2009-10 Los Angeles Clippers, and a Q&A with Examiner John Magers: (http://www.examiner.com/x-10630-Boston-Celtics-Examiner~y2009m10d3-NBA-Season-Preview-QA-with-LA-Clippers-Examiner-John-Magers) What are your thoughts about the Clippers as the season approaches? How do you feel about their playoff/title chances?John Magers: I believe the Clippers are, at best, a 48-win sixth seed in the Western Conference, and, at worst, a 35-win lottery team. I'm assuming, of course, that no injuries will occur during the course of 2009-2010, and the team comes together chemistry-wise. Assuming they do make the playoffs, I think the ceiling for the Clippers is a Western Conference Semifinals appearance, and the floor is a sweep in the Western Conference First Round. Either way, the squad is much improved from last year, and I've been pleased with every transaction/decision they've made, except for not making more of an effort to retain Brian Skinner.Do you feel that holes in the roster still need to be addressed, and if so, can they be addressed?JM: Head coach. Mike Dunleavy Sr. is about as obstinate as they come when it comes to game plans and the media, and this group of players won't grow until he's ousted. I'd love to see Del Harris on the bench, due to his experience, class and the confidence he has in his players to figure out how to win basketball games.How do you feel that they compare with the Celtics, and the rest of the NBA?JM: The Celtics, when healthy, are the best team in the NBA, so the Clippers do not favorably compare with them in any area except the bench. As far as the rest of the NBA is concerned, the Clippers, on paper (re: existing talent and potential) are perhaps the 12th or 13th best team in the league heading into this season, but because recent results would have others saying they're not even in the top 20, I'd understand any dissensions.If the Celtics and Clippers make the Finals, how would you think the Clippers should attack Boston in a 7-game series?JM: With Baron Davis. Rajon Rondo is a pretty exceptional defender, but Davis has shown time and again that when he wants to get to the basket or hoist up a shot, he will. Look no further than his magnificent performance with the Warriors in the 2007 NBA Playoffs, where he scored and passed with aplomb. And with the aforementioned bench, the Clippers would perhaps be able to cut into some of the leads the Celtics would leap out to, due to Boston having a far superior starting five. Either way, there isn't a realistic chance that the Clippers could take the series any further than five games.What do you expect from Blake Griffin this year?To read the rest of Mark's Q&A, click here. (http://www.examiner.com/x-10630-Boston-Celtics-Examiner~y2009m10d3-NBA-Season-Preview-QA-with-LA-Clippers-Examiner-John-Magers)