3 reasons the Blazers could upset the Clippers
EAST: IND vs. TOR I DET vs. CLE I BOS vs. ATL I CHA vs. MIA
WEST: MEM vs. SA I HOU vs. GS I OKC vs. DAL
Despite their close proximity in the standings, the Los Angeles Clippers enter their first-round matchup as heavy favorites to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers.
Led by the quartet of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and J.J. Redick, the Clippers possess one of the scariest starting units in the entire league.
With that being said, Los Angeles has its fair share of flaws that could be exploited by a pesky Blazers team itching to prove their doubters wrong.
Here are three reasons Portland can pull off the upset:
They're hot
Although the Clippers are ahead of the Blazers in the standings, Portland has been the better team of late, ranking third behind the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs since Jan. 10 with a 29-15 record.
While Los Angeles sits right behind Portland at 28-16, their nearly identical records over the last 40-plus games is a telltale sign of how close this series could be.
Portland may struggle to stop the Clippers' frontcourt, but its terrific guard play will be equally challenging for Los Angeles. The Blazers have also been operating with a nothing-to-lose attitude throughout the season.
Griffin has struggled
If the Blazers are hot, then Griffin is not.
In five games since his return, the Clippers power forward has averaged just 10.4 points and 6.8 rebounds on 40 percent shooting - numbers well below even his rookie average.
The Clippers excelled without Griffin during the regular season, but many of those victories came against lottery teams, not a 44-win squad. Los Angeles could still end up winning if the 27-year-old struggles, but it won't be easy.
Blazers have the better bench
While the Blazers' bench is nothing to write home about - sitting just above the NBA average - the Clippers' second unit has become Los Angeles' Achilles' heel of late, ranking 20th in the league following the All-Star break.
Led by Allen Crabbe, Moe Harkless, and Ed Davis, Portland has a trio of low-volume, high-efficiency scorers who could wreak havoc on a Clippers bench that's far from a defensive juggernaut.