洛杉矶快船队在即将到来的NBA赛季处于一个奇怪的好位置，仅仅是因为他们不会有任何期望。由于在ACL手术后恢复期间，卡瓦希·伦纳德预计将缺席大部分（如果不是全部的话）常规赛，没有人会期望洛杉矶队认真争夺冠军。然而，在他们上赛季首次闯入西部决赛后，他们仍将保持竞争力，以保持获胜文化的活力。同样值得注意的是，他们本赛季没有自己的第一轮选秀权，所以他们没有动力去输。
考虑到保持竞争力的目标，主教练蒂龙-卢需要调整他的阵容，以便莱纳德的缺席尽可能不被注意。这显然是一项艰巨的任务，因为莱纳德是联盟中最好的双向球员之一。即便如此，快船是一支实力雄厚的球队，拥有无数多才多艺的球员，可以挑战西部最好的球队。以下是在每个位置都应该从Lue获得起始点头的人。
控球后卫：雷吉·杰克逊
杰克逊在去年的常规赛中作为得分火花塞在洛杉矶表现出色，但他在季后赛中把他的比赛提升到了另一个水平。莱纳德因ACL受伤倒下后，杰克逊成为球队仅次于乔治的第二得分手，场均21.4分，命中率48.5%，在洛杉矶季后赛最后八场比赛中，他每场8.1分的三分尝试中，36.9%被击倒。下赛季他不可能每晚都保持这样的水平，但在莱纳德不在的时候，他完全有可能成为球队的第二大得分手。
另一个选择是新收购的埃里克·布莱索（Eric Bledsoe），洛杉矶在与孟菲斯灰熊队的交易中用他交换了帕特里克·贝弗利、拉詹·隆多和丹尼尔·奥图鲁。布莱索在防守上可能比杰克逊更出色，但他在投篮和打球方面的无能使他与像乔治这样的控球边锋相比显得有些不稳定。
得分后卫：特兰斯曼
布莱索也可以从得分后卫开始，因为他的力量和翼展让他能够防守一个位置。然而，射门问题仍然存在，让他首发可能会影响洛杉矶最有希望的年轻边锋的发展。曼恩在季后赛进行了一场突破性的比赛，丢下了职业生涯最高的39分，10次尝试中有7次从深水区命中。这是一场惊心动魄的表演，展示了他作为致命的双向补充翼的潜力。他是一名运动健将，善于转换，时间长，不怕与中锋争夺篮板。
曼恩的射门是快船下赛季最大的x因素之一。虽然他已经被证明是一名出色的角球手，但如果他能在中场休息时开始命中定点投篮，甚至在一场引体向上的比赛中闪现，这将解锁快船的大部分进攻。莱纳德不在的时候，间隔会有点紧，所以曼恩将不得不收拾残局。如果他的投篮开始减弱，也许LUE会认为Luke Kennard是首发球员，因为他是NBA最好的射手之一。
小前锋：保罗·乔治
这是最简单的一个。乔治将作为一名独立得分手和一名边捡边滚的控球手得到他能吃的一切，就像他在西部决赛中所做的那样。在那个系列赛中，由于得分负担太重，他的效率有点下降，但他不会像在季后赛那样在常规赛中每晚踢40分钟以上的比赛。悉尼FC数据分析
即便如此，在伦纳德不在的时候，让乔治的平均得分达到职业生涯的最高水平也不是不合理的，前提是吕很乐意给他一盏霓虹灯。他每晚都会被对方球队最好的球员防守，但乔治已经习惯了这一点，可以追溯到他在印第安纳州和俄克拉荷马城的第一选择，以及上个常规赛莱纳德因脚伤缺阵的时候。
大前锋：老马库斯·莫里斯。
粘人尼古拉斯·巴图姆可以轻松地在莫里斯的位置上首发，但快船需要莫里斯在莱纳德不在场的情况下创造进攻。他是一个低位威胁，可以利用对较小机翼的错配，但也可以腾出空间给乔治和杰克逊操作空间。
毫无疑问，巴图姆将有足够的上场时间，无论是作为一名替补大前锋还是一名小球中锋。长长的射门翼是NBA最受欢迎的商品之一，快船很幸运有几个可以一起打球。
中心：Ivica Zubac
选择这个位置的先发球员将是卢联最艰难的选择，而这可能取决于还有谁先发。如果布莱索在得分后卫方面超过了曼恩或肯纳德，卢将不得不通过插入一个伸展型5:Serge Ibaka来弥补地板间距的不足。然而，如果其他位置的投篮都足够的话，他可以选择祖巴克的传统篮圈跑动中锋。
在季后赛对阵某些阵容时，祖巴克由于无法切换而无法上场，但在每晚对阵弱小对手时，他是一个很好的选择，既是一个滚人，也是一个篮圈保护者。他也比Ibaka年轻得多，有很大的成长空间。上赛季末，他在一场无关紧要的比赛中尝试并投中了自己的第一个三分，但如果他能够始终如一地投篮，这将改变湖人的进攻。
祖巴克在季后赛期间扭伤了右MCL，伊巴卡在季后赛开始前做了赛季结束后的背部手术。目前尚不清楚这两名中锋中的一名或两名中锋是否适合开始常规赛塞维利亚预测。洛杉矶仍然有一个开放的名单位置，他们应该致力于填补一个质量，局吃第三中锋。
原标题：
Projecting the LA Clippers’ 2021-22 starting lineup
原文：
The LA Clippers are oddly in a good spot for the upcoming NBA season, simply because they are not going to be held to any expectations. With Kawhi Leonard expected to be out for most if not all of the regular season while recovering from ACL surgery, no one is expecting LA to seriously compete for a title. However, they will still aim to be competitive in order to keep the winning culture alive after their inaugural run to the Western Conference Finals last season. It’s also worth noting that they do not own their first-round draft pick this season , so they have no incentive to tank.
With the goal of remaining competitive in mind, Head Coach Tyronn Lue will need to tinker with his lineups so that Leonard’s absence goes as unnoticed as possible. This is obviously a daunting task, as Leonard is one of the best two-way players in the league. Even so, the Clippers are a deep team with a myriad of versatile players that can challenge the best teams in the Western Conference . Here’s who should get the starting nod from Lue at each position.
Point guard: Reggie Jackson
Jackson was excellent for LA throughout the regular season last year as a scoring spark plug, but he took his game to another level in the postseason. Once Leonard went down with his ACL injury, Jackson stepped up as the team’s secondary scorer behind George, averaging 21.4 points on 48.5% shooting while knocking down 36.9% of his 8.1 three-point attempts per game for LA’s last eight postseason contests. He can’t be expected to put up that level of production on a nightly basis next season, but it’s entirely possible that he’ll be the team’s second-leading scorer while Leonard is out.
The other option for the starting point guard role would be the newly acquired Eric Bledsoe, whom LA snagged in a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu. Bledsoe would be an upgrade over Jackson defensively, but his inability to shoot and play off the ball makes him a shakey fit next to a ball-dominant wing like George.
Shooting guard: Terance Mann
Bledsoe could also start at shooting guard, as his strength and wingspan allow him to guard up a position. However, the shooting issues remain, and starting him could take away from the development of LA’s most promising young wing. Mann had a breakout game in the postseason, dropping a career-high 39 points and hitting seven of his 10 attempts from deep. It was a thrilling performance, and one that revealed his potential as a deadly two-way supplimental wing. He’s athletic, switchable, lengthy and unafraid to battle with centers for rebounds.
Mann’s shooting is one of the biggest x-factors for the Clippers next season. While he’s already proven to be a great corner shooter, if he can begin to hit spot-up shots from above the break and even show flashes of a pull-up game, it’ll unlock so much of the Clippers’ offense. The spacing is going to be a bit tighter with Leonard out, so Mann will have to pick up the slack. If his shot begins to wane, perhaps Lue will consider Luke Kennard as a starter given that he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA.
Small forward: Paul George
This is the easy one. George is going to get all he can eat as an isolation scorer and a pick-and-roll ball-handler, just as he did in the Western Conference Finals. His efficiency wained a bit in that series due to the heavy scoring burden, but he won’t be asked to play 40+ minutes a night during the regular season like he was in the playoffs.
Even so, it’s not unreasonable to project George to reach a career-high in scoring average while Leonard is out, assuming Lue is comfortable giving him the neon-green light. He’ll be guarded by the opposing team’s best player on a nightly basis, but George is used to this, dating back to his time as a no. 1 option in Indiana and Oklahoma City, as well as last regular season when Leonard missed time with a foot injury.
Power Forward: Marcus Morris Sr.
Glue Guy Nicolas Batum could easily start in Morris’ place , but the Clippers are going to need Morris’ offensive creation with Leonard out. He’s a low-post threat that can exploit mismatches against smaller wings, but can also space the floor to give George and Jackson room to operate.
Batum will no-doubt be given plenty of minutes, both as a backup power forward and a small-ball center . Lengthy, shooting wings are one of the most sought-after commodities in the NBA, and the Clippers are fortunate to have several of them that can play together.
Center: Ivica Zubac
Choosing the starter at this position will be Lue’s toughest choice, and it might come down to who else is starting. If Bledsoe does get the nod at shooting guard over Mann or Kennard, Lue will have to compensate for the lack of floor-spacing by inserting a stretch-5: Serge Ibaka. However, if the shooting is adequate at every other position, he can go with a traditional rim-running center in Zubac.
Zubac was unplayable against certain lineups in the postseason due to his inability to switch, but on a nightly basis against lesser opponents, he’s a great option as both a roll man and a rim protector. He’s also far younger than Ibaka with a lot of room to grow. He attempted and made his first three-pointer at the end of last season in a game that didn’t matter, but if he can begin to take and make those shots consistently, it’ll transform LA’s offense.
Zubac sprained his right MCL during the postseason, and Ibaka had season-ending back surgery before the playoffs began. It is unclear if both, one of or neither center will be good to go to start the regular season . LA still has an open roster spot that they should aim to fill with a quality, innings-eating third center.
