The core lineup is aging but the reinforcements are effective! What is the level of the Clippers in the new season?

In recent seasons, the Clippers have become a team with championship potential, but they have never been able to reach the finals to compete for the championship. With the aging of core players Harden and Leonard, the Clippers have also made targeted reinforcements. So what level will the Clippers be in the new season? This column will help you understand through in-depth data analysis.

Although the victory or defeat in the preseason will not affect the ranking, the performance of the players in the preseason also has certain reference value. The Clippers' preseason average of 112.8 points per game is only the 23rd highest in the league. , but their field goal percentage of 51.1% ranks first among the 30 teams. Combined with their 10.5 offensive rebounds per game, which is the lowest in the league, the Clippers have a new offensive mode. They have reduced the competition for secondary attacks but improved their scoring efficiency.

So how do the Clippers improve their scoring efficiency? Of course it's due to changes in the lineup. First, the ages of Harden and Leonard have further increased. Their age and their ability to resist injuries at this stage have prevented the Clippers from speeding up their offense and defense like many young teams. Therefore, their core lineup offense is as steady as possible, reducing the number of shots and increasing the number of hits;

The second is the arrival of new players, especially the return of Chris Paul. Although Paul is older, he can rely on his many years of experience. To sort out the team's offense, the Clippers averaged 30.3 assists per game in the preseason, ranking second in the league. If we look at the assist ratio of assist rounds per 100 possessions, the Clippers have reached the league's highest 21.6%. This can show that the Clippers rely more on the ball to complete the scoring on the offensive end. This also makes their scoring efficiency reach a very high level. In addition to the aging of the Clippers' lineup, there are two main changes in the new season.

The first is that the Clippers relied heavily on Harden's organization on the offensive end last season. Although Ben Simmons, who is famous for assists, is on the bench, Simmons' personal offensive level is really not of much use. However, the arrival of Paul this season can be said to be a perfect solution to this problem. In this way, Harden and Paul can solve the Clippers' offense organization problem as long as one of them is present. This is also the reason why the Clippers' assist number and assist ratio are extremely high during the preseason.

The second is to strengthen many players with outstanding off-ball ability. Judging from the preseason, newly joined Clippers Kobe Sanders, Lopez, Collins and even Bill all have extremely strong off-ball ability, plus they are originally The Clippers' main players, with the exception of Harden Paul, who had enough playing time during the preseason, all had a scoring and assist rate of around 70% or higher. In the new season, the Clippers' number of people delivering cannonballs and those who inspire cannonballs have increased and strengthened.

But the Clippers are not without hidden dangers. Harden only averaged 6 points per game in the preseason, and his two shooting percentages were as low as 36.8% and 10%. Although it is only a preseason, Harden also has fewer points than last season's preseason. There has been a cliff-like decline, and the ability of Leonard, the other core, to resist injuries is really weak. It is naturally difficult for role players to perform when the game is in an anxious moment and requires core strength. However, it seems that the further aging of the two cores is still worrying.

Mini-game recommendations:Mega Ramps stunt cars 3d