Los Angeles Clippers

Vegas Over/Under: 43.5

The Record Projection: 42-40 of fromal The Bet: Avoid but lean under
The way you feel about this over/under probably depends on one crucial question: Just how easy is replacing Chris Paul?
The Los Angeles Clippers did a great job reloading after learning that Paul wanted a death to the Houston Rockets. Not only did they figure out how to pry some assets from his new home in a trade after he opted in, but they also convinced Blake Griffin to re-sign before adding Danilo Gallinari and Milos Teodosic to the fold.
This is a talented roster with upside and ability at pretty much every position. It is far deeper than it’s been in previous years, though head coach Doc Rivers surely didn’t want to obtain depth at the expense of his team’s best player.
And that’s the issue.
Paul wasn’t just the engine that made the Clippers operate; he basically was that the Clippers.
Patrick Beverley and Teodosic should be solid replacements in the 1, but they can’t replicate his ability to run the offense perfectly.
Whether Paul was calling his own number or setting up teammates, he controlled the flow of the game as well as anyone. It’s the reason LAC was a staggering 19.6 points per 100 possessions better with him around the ground in 2016-17, in addition to the reason he finished No. 2 overall in ESPN.com’s real plus/minus, behind just LeBron James.
His work simply can not be replicated.

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