Since July, most, if not all of the talk of a legit challenger to the Los Angeles Lakers has centered around the LA Clippers. But there’s another team lurking that could be an even bigger threat to the Purple and Gold hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy come June.
We’re now just over a month into the 2019-20 season, and the Los Angeles Lakers are sitting pretty at 19-3, which is the NBA’s best record.
Not only have they emerged as arguably the league’s best defensive team, but their offense has been gradually improving. They’re 13th in points per game, eighth in offensive rating and third in fastbreak points per game.
Those of us who bleed purple and gold have been keeping an eye on the LA Clippers from the start as, in all likelihood, the biggest threat to winning the NBA championship.
However, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing for L.A.’s other team. Although they have a strong 16-6 record, the Clippers have been inconsistent at both ends of the floor. For all the talk from the mainstream media about the Clippers possibly becoming the best defensive team in modern NBA history, they gave up at least 120 points five times in just their first 22 games.
Plus, there’s this whole load management issue with Kawhi Leonard, who missed five of their first 14 games. The Clippers won only two of those contests.
A few months ago, I wrote a detailed article on why and how the Lakers should be a better team than the Clippers. All the while, there’s another team back east that’s somewhat quietly putting together a team that may pose a stiffer challenge to the Lakers should they reach the NBA Finals.
Granted, this team I’m alluding to is still in the process of putting it all together, but if recent history is any proof, their fans are absolutely “trusting the process.”
That’s right, come playoff time, the Lakers‘ biggest threat, in my opinion, will be…
The Philadelphia 76ers.
Here’s why: