I figured the best way to approach this issue is to break the two teams down by analyzing each position and dissect the individual pieces. Of course I realize that this doesn't cover intangibles like team chemistry and locker room presence but I'll try to include every "X-Factor" that comes to mind. Now let's kick-off this segment with the position that runs the show...
Point Guard
Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry, Shaun Livingston, Nemanja Nedovic
Los Angeles Clippers - Chris Paul, Jordan Farmar
It just so happens that the premier player of each team is the point guard, making this a tight battle. Chris Paul is coveted as the best at his position so it's easy to assume that the Clippers will have the advantage here, but keep in mind that Stephen Curry isn't too far behind him. CP3's strongest aspects of his game are his stingy defense and mind-boggling assist to turnover rate. On the other hand, those two things happen to be Steph's weaknesses. His defense and costly turnovers are exactly what hold him back from moving up in the point guard rankings, but the Warriors caught a savvy veteran who can slightly mask these weaknesses.
The Shaun Livingston signing won't cause the NBA world to shake in its boots but will do wonders for the Warriors. This move will be a huge upgrade as last year the Warriors had Steve Blake backing up the sharpshooter and he was surprisingly ineffective. I don't expect Nedovic (or the "European Derrick Rose") to get much playing time, barring injury, so don't consider him to be much of a factor.
The Clippers did acquire Jordan Farmar but he won't be replacing everything Darren Collison had to offer the Clips this past year. Collison was a big part of the Clippers' success last year as he led their bench, which was third best in terms of scoring outputs. This is a tight comparison because Paul is a better player than Curry but the Warriors depth at this position remains superior. It boils down to one's liking and could easily be considered a toss-up, but my preference lies with a deeper roster.
Advantage: Golden State Warriors
Shooting Guard
Golden State Warriors - Klay Thompson, Brandon Rush, Leandro Barbosa
Los Angeles Clippers - J.J. Reddick, Jamal Crawford, C.J. Wilcox
This is another tight race. Both teams boast some of the best shooters this league has to offer from their starting "2" guard. Although I do have to admit that I think Thompson is becoming a little overrated now though. Some Warrior fans are stirring up talks that he's the best shooting guard in the league and he's demanding a max contract. While he is every bit deserving of a big payday do we really think he's worth the same amount as marquee players like Kevin Durant and LeBron James? Should he really be paid more than his Splash bro counterpart Steph Curry? The answer to these questions are a resounding NO. Klay is a phenomenal shooter and strong defender (although he can be found guilty of committing silly fouls when he leans his upper body on guards who are too quick for him). He is one of the few two-way players we see from a weakening position in the league. The guard will continue to grow into a smarter player but let's not jump the gun on this young man. Thompson is simply not worth that kind of money yet. Like most other players, he still has a couple of weaknesses: inconsistency and struggles in scoring off the dribble. Let's not forget that a lot of his scoring is alleviated because his team has good passers from every position.
His team also managed to add a couple of capable shooting guards to back him up as well. Rush makes his return to the Warriors after a one year stint with the Jazz and should offer serviceable defense and superb three point shooting (especially from the corners). Meanwhile, Barbosa will be expected to provide random scoring outbursts, as last year's bench struggled mightily in that department.
On the Clippers' side of things, expect J.J. Reddick and Jamal Crawford to play most of the minutes here. Reddick's shooting prowess have glamoured since his college days and he's a better defender than people realize. It's easy to see his small size and say he can't guard other shooting guards but he's tougher than most give credit for. Jamal Crawford is the most notable bench player as he's the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and has won the award on another occasion.
Again this is really tough but Klay has proven he is one of the best shooting guards out there so I'll give the nod to him.
Advantage: Golden State Warriors
Small Forward
Golden State Warriors - Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes
Los Angeles Clippers - Matt Barnes, Hedo Turkoglu, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Reggie Bullock
It'll be hard to expect much from this group of small forwards that the Clippers have put together. Barnes is the only valued commodity because of his length and defense. He could make a couple of three pointers every game but I wouldn't characterize him as a good shooter. Turkoglu is only a shell of his former self and I doubt he'll do anything significant. Maybe if he gets healthier and in better game shape he could help stretch the floor and use his high basketball IQ to improve the Clips but even at best, it would be a negligible difference. His versatility can help Doc Rivers shake up things in his lineup cards as well since he could play both forward positions. Douglas-Roberts has gotten some looks at starting this position as well but I feel like Barnes will end up winning the job due to his experience.
On the other hand, the Warriors were having troubles deciding which of their small forwards should start. They fear that Barnes doesn't fair well in a bench role and that his development is being stunted. His athleticism hints at a lot of upside but he has struggled to create his own shot since his college days. Meanwhile, Andre Iguodala has proven that he's one of the best small forwards in the league with his well-rounded play. In the end, Kerr elected to start the younger player but it really didn't matter who the Warriors started; they have the clear advantage here. Just don't be shocked if the Clippers make a midseason trade to improve their weakest position.
Advantage: Golden State Warriors
Power Forward
Golden State Warriors - David Lee, Draymond Green, Marreesee Speights
Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin, Glen Davis, Ekpe Udoh
This is where the Clippers shine. Superstar Blake Griffin's improvement has most analysts ranking him as the best power forward in the game. His newfound jump shot warrants respect from defenders and it looks like he's added some range as he hit a corner three against the Warriors the first time they played against each other in preseason. When asked about it he said this:
"It's just the confidence, really. When I'm open, I'm going to shoot it because you just feel like it's going in. But I'm not strictly a jump-shooter now. I have to do the things I used to do, the things that got me here."
Uh oh. If Griffin becomes a confident three point shooter the rest of the NBA is going to have a tough time. While I wouldn't say three point shooting is going to be a lethal weapon in his arsenal this season it should become something to look out for in a couple of years. Also keep in mind that his free throw shooting looks a lot cleaner now. Glen "Big Baby" Davis also proves to be a valuable backup as shown in his days with Orlando. His inconsistency with his midrange game can be a problem at times but as he has been getting older he has done a better job of finding comfortable spots.
The Warriors don't have slouches in their power forwards either. David Lee has been a pivotal point in the Warriors half-court offense for years but now he's taking even more of a backseat to Curry and Thompson. His intelligent playing style, strong passing, various post moves and knack for finding his favorite spots does a nice job of keeping the offense balanced. Meanwhile Draymond Green has received accolades for being one of the most productive bench players in the league. The last memory we have of him is shining against this Clippers team in the playoffs as he provided energy, TOUGH defense, and a nice touch on spot up three point shots.
This comparison is another close one but it's hard to bet against Blake Griffin's growing repertoire.
Advantage: Los Angeles Clippers
Center
Golden State Warriors - Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli
Los Angeles Clippers - DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Hawes
Durability is always a key factor when talking about Andrew Bogut as he proves to be a formidable inside force when he actually is on the court. The strong defense will always be there as he protects the paint with the best of them. He's been trying to improve his offensive game in all sorts of ways too, probably because Steve Kerr wants to feed the post more often.
Festus Ezeli also makes his return from injury this season. Last year the Warriors had Jermaine O' Neal as the primary backup center and he performed admirably when given time but he never provided reliable defense. Ezeli's game is similar to Bogut's in the sense that they both share a strong asset in protecting the paint. The Warriors have size here and their defenses should be anchored by these two big men.
As you can see, the Warriors have a lot of question marks when it comes to the center position. Don't get me wrong though-the Warrior centers are very good at what they do when they are on the court.
But even if Bogut can manage to stay healthy the Clippers have the edge in this position battle. DeAndre Jordon is pretty much a more mobile version of Ezeli. While Jordan doesn't have the passing ability or skillset Bogut possesses, he overshadows his counterpart with superior athleticism. The Clippers also did a great job in signing Spencer Hawes this offseason. Hawes is a stretch five that gives the Clippers a whole new dynamic since his range extents to the three point line. In his Clippers tenure, Paul has never played with a big man who has such a capability and no one is going to enjoy having this new toy more than the elite point guard.
Festus Ezeli also makes his return from injury this season. Last year the Warriors had Jermaine O' Neal as the primary backup center and he performed admirably when given time but he never provided reliable defense. Ezeli's game is similar to Bogut's in the sense that they both share a strong asset in protecting the paint. The Warriors have size here and their defenses should be anchored by these two big men.
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| Andrew Bogut has tried all sorts of ways to improve his offense including shooting free throws left handed. |
But even if Bogut can manage to stay healthy the Clippers have the edge in this position battle. DeAndre Jordon is pretty much a more mobile version of Ezeli. While Jordan doesn't have the passing ability or skillset Bogut possesses, he overshadows his counterpart with superior athleticism. The Clippers also did a great job in signing Spencer Hawes this offseason. Hawes is a stretch five that gives the Clippers a whole new dynamic since his range extents to the three point line. In his Clippers tenure, Paul has never played with a big man who has such a capability and no one is going to enjoy having this new toy more than the elite point guard.
Advantage: Los Angeles Clippers
Coaching
Golden State Warriors - Steve Kerr
Los Angeles Clippers - Doc Rivers
Let's get one thing sorted out: I'm a huge Steve Kerr fan. He says all the right things in interviews, his analysis on TNT was always impeccable, and his basketball IQ is top notch ever since he played in the NBA. He also has history as a General Manager which should give him a better idea of how to manage rosters. The biggest thing Kerr wants to succeed in is cutting down on turnovers. These possession killers are what hampered the Warriors from being a super team in the NBA and if Kerr can manage to do this, I'd expect the Warriors to be significantly better than last season. The second thing Kerr pointed to was to diversify the offense even more and not rely on three pointers the whole time. Three point shooting teams tend to struggle in the playoffs as many games are being played in a shortened span. It becomes easier for players to get in shooting slumps and harder to maintain hot streaks so the idea of trying to find scoring from the post is a really good idea.
Not much needs to be said about Doc Rivers. Ever since he joined the Clippers their defense improved dramatically and his big men are being used in more efficient ways. The half court offense is only getting better and the team has looked much sharper since Rivers has taken over.
I expect some great things from Steve Kerr in his first year but Doc Rivers has a resume that speaks for itself.
Not much needs to be said about Doc Rivers. Ever since he joined the Clippers their defense improved dramatically and his big men are being used in more efficient ways. The half court offense is only getting better and the team has looked much sharper since Rivers has taken over.
I expect some great things from Steve Kerr in his first year but Doc Rivers has a resume that speaks for itself.
Advantage: Los Angeles Clippers
Overall
Overall
As we can see, this is by no means an easy call. Both teams have an advantage in three areas and even those subdivisions were really close. One injury can shake up everything making this even more tough than it already is. My prediction is that one team will progress more than the other over the course of the season and that team should be considered better.
And that team is...
Golden State Warriors
And that team is...
Golden State Warriors
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