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The LA Clippers will be somewhat of an unknown quantity heading into the 2021-22 NBA season.
Despite enjoying an impressive playoff run over the summer and re-signing key players such as Kawhi Leonard, Reggie Jackson and Nicolas Batum, the Clippers will be without 'The Klaw' for most of the campaign.
Making bold predictions for the LA Clippers' campaign
The absence of Kawhi Leonard is certainly going to have its effects on the team. With Leonard on the court, the LA Clippers went 36-16 during the regular season campaign. However, they had an 11-9 run when he was rested last year.
Nevertheless, the Clippers still have an extremely strong team and a deep roster. The side is built around Paul George, who will be looking to have an MVP-caliber year, and Serge Ibaka. The team also has excellent three-point shooters who led the league from deep last season.
Let us now take a look at the bold predictions we have set for the LA Clippers' season.
1) Paul George to be a top-5 player
It's easy to forget that Paul George finished third overall in MVP voting at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. He was also averaging 28 points, eight rebounds and a league-best 2.2 steals per game with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Fast forward two years, and there is no reason to believe the 31-year-old can't repeat that feat.
George played at an All-Star caliber level last season, putting up 23 points and a career-high 5.2 assists while shooting above 40% from the field and from deep.
His postseason run, during which he carried the LA Clippers when Kawhi Leonard was sidelined, helped him offload some of the "Pandemic P" slander.
Although this is a small example, it is useful in projecting how Paul George could do this season without Kawhi Leonard.
In the eight games that Leonard missed for the LA Clippers, George went from averaging 24.9 points per night to 29.6, grabbing 11 rebounds per game as opposed to 8.6. He also registered double the amount of steals (1.4).
George will see far more of the ball this year. The 31-year-old will likely take the same, if not more, number of shots that he did with the Oklahoma City Thunder (21 per game) as opposed to the 17.6 he took last season. Provided that he maintains his elite level of defense, this should put him in the conversation for MVP.
2) LA Clippers to finish in the top 4 seeds in the West
As bold as this prediction is, given the strength of teams in the Western Conference and the fact that Kawhi Leonard will be sidelined for most of the season, there is some merit to it.
Over the past two campaigns, the LA Clippers have had win percentages of 65% and 68%. When the league last had an 82-game season in 2018-19, these numbers would've placed them in either the third or second seed.
With Leonard out, there is bound to be a dropoff, but not so much that the LA Clippers can't win 60% of games, which would have still earned them the fourth seed last year.
Other teams in the conference also have their issues. The Utah Jazz and LA Lakers are likely to battle for the top spot. However, the Lakers did struggle with injuries last season and have a squad with an average age of 32.
The Denver Nuggets will have to cope without one of their best players, Jamal Murray. Moving down the rankings, the Mavericks have just hired a new coach in Jason Kidd and haven't improved their roster to the extent that many expected. Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers are still biting their nails, hoping that Damian Lillard will want to stay at the franchise.
If Paul George plays at an elite level and the LA Clippers continue their impressive three-point shooting, they definitely have enough to crack the top four.
3) Reggie Jackson to earn an All-Star call-up
Reggie Jackson surprised everybody with his postseason display for the LA Clippers and looks primed to be the team's secondary scorer this year.
The 31-year-old played well for the Clippers during the regular season, putting up 10.7 points per game and shooting at 43% from deep. However, when it came to the playoffs, his confidence took his game to another level.
Jackson started all but two games for the LA Clippers, scoring 17.8 points per contest. He also shot above 40% from three and at 48% from the field.
Jackson consistently kept his side within touching distance of their opponents, stepping up in timely moments when others were failing to score. When Leonard was sidelined for the conference finals, he scored over 20 points a night.
The criteria for All-Star voting changes each season, depending on what certain players are able to average. Jackson will have felt hard done by in his Detroit Pistons days after not receiving a call-up despite averaging 18.8 points and six assists in the 2015-16 season.
However, if he plays similar minutes to his postseason run and continues his shooting accuracy, he may be an outside chance of making the All-Star game.
