Usually, it’s fairly easy for the Nuggets to decide on one opposing player per game that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can mark as his primary matchup as a defender.
The Clippers, throughout 2023-24, are going to be more complicated.
With their recent trade with Philadelphia for 2018 MVP James Harden, the Clippers doubled down on their style of heavy isolation offense by adding a fourth 2010s mega-star.
With Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles has 32 combined All-Star appearances, two league MVPs and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. It’s a murderer’s row of the previous decade’s best, a fearsome lineup on paper that hasn’t lived up to high expectations in the early stages.