Can the Clippers win a championship before the Lakers win their next one?

[bfrombleacher]

Phil Jackson is gone (on a very bad tone too). I'd bet that Kobe will have a problem with Mike Brown. Speaking of Kobe, he's deteriorating and unless he stops, to put it nicely, "dominating the ball" on offense, the Lakers are going to deteriorate with him. Pau Gasol apparently is having a problem with Kobe (something about wives or something). The Lakers are almost definitely in rebuild mode with so many problems on and off court.

The Clippers have great talent. However, their owner is an @$$. Del Negro is not a great coach and it shows. But, again, they have great young talent.

A big game changer is who gets Dwight. Hopefully, of course, he either suits up in green or he goes to another non-factor team like Orlando. Dwight and Blake Griffin will be very formidable and they probably will win a championship together.

So which LA team gets a banner first?

edit: For those counting out the Clippers, LA is a very attractive location for FA's, most prominently Dwight Howard. The Lakers are currently in a state of turmoil and Kobe's mindset is no secret. Can anything on the face of this planet beat a duo of Howard and Griffin?

Plus, it would be pretty funny if pink wins one before wine and gold. That'll stick it to them   

[Celtics4ever]

Kobe will be ordering around Mike Brown one game into the season.  Mike Brown is a very weak coach at least he was with LeBron and Kobe definitely seems a stronger personality than LeBron.  Kupchak blew this hire.

[cman88]

if the Mavericks keep tyson chandler, then IMO they have the best chance to repeat to the finals.

No other teams in the west really had the centers to combat Pau/Bynum. But now that the Mavs have a defensive center in Chandler I think they have the lakers number.

But, you can never count the lakers out...and im sure the Clippers will end up makign some stupid decision like they always do

[Who]

Lakers -- they have top quality ownership + management who will be able to build another Championship quality team. The Clippers leadership has shown no such capacity.

A great player (B.Griffin) does not a Championship make. It takes a whole organization. The Lakers have that. The Clippers don't.

[Roy H.]

Lakers -- they have top quality ownership + management who will be able to build another Championship quality team. The Clippers leadership has shown no such capacity.

A great player (B.Griffin) does not a Championship make. It takes a whole organization. The Lakers have that. The Clippers don't.

That's my take.  My guess is that the next CBA is going to put an even higher emphasis on good management.  The Lakers generally have it, the Clippers don't.

[PosImpos]

There's a reason the Lakers win so many games year after year and have been to the Finals more than any other team.

A combination of good management, a place everybody wants to play, tons and tons of $$, and a franchise with a great legacy -- from the early days of the NBA through to the present -- and a good reputation.

The Clippers have the location, but nothing else.  If anything, I'd say it's more likely that Blake Griffin ends up playing for the Lakers before the Lakers or Clippers win another championship.

[Eja117]

It's a leeettllle like saying "The Bengals just had a bunch of good drafts. Who wins a Super Bowl first? Them or the Colts? Now that Peyton is older with a neck issue".

I love to dream, but I just can't put the Clippers ahead of the Lakers in any scenario.  They have barely ever had any success even getting to the playoffs let alone staying there let alone getting to the finals.

[pearljammer10]

There's not a chance.

[mgent]

Lakers -- they have top quality ownership + management who will be able to build another Championship quality team. The Clippers leadership has shown no such capacity.

A great player (B.Griffin) does not a Championship make. It takes a whole organization. The Lakers have that. The Clippers don't.

That's my take.  My guess is that the next CBA is going to put an even higher emphasis on good management.  The Lakers generally have it, the Clippers don't.

That plus aren't they one of those teams that refuse to go over the luxury tax?  The Lakers will dish out 90+ every year and use the full MLE or whatever the new exception is every chance they get.

It's hard to overcome that advantage, and it's gonna be harder for them to keep even 1 of Gordon or Griffin (if they both don't leave).

[Kane3387]

Realistically it's the Lakers who are likely to take the West next year. I know Dallas won, but some of those games in that series were very close besides game 4.

I think the Lakers will be hungry again next year. I don't think they were last year. Bynum, Gasol, and Odom along with Kobe is arguably the best 4some in the game. Artest is not the same guy but he is still a factor.

I think Brown is a solid coach. It's just the Lakers are really only threatened by OKC and Dallas. The West is not what it was. It's an inferior conference.

The Clippers have a ways to go. They still need to make the playoffs, let alone win a series. And with Donald Sterling and Vinnie Del Negro in charge I just don't see them winning a title at all. Rather I think their talent goes elsewhere like always.

[action781]

Lakers -- they have top quality ownership + management who will be able to build another Championship quality team. The Clippers leadership has shown no such capacity.

A great player (B.Griffin) does not a Championship make. It takes a whole organization. The Lakers have that. The Clippers don't.

That's my take.  My guess is that the next CBA is going to put an even higher emphasis on good management.  The Lakers generally have it, the Clippers don't.

I agree with this and with what a lot of other posters have mentioned.  But if they don't get Dwight and assuming some kind of cap in the next CBA, I don't see how LAL wins a title in the next 3 years considering their current contracts.  That said, I find it pretty unlikely that LAC wins one in the next 3 years also.

[Celtics18]

I've got start by saying they are the Clippers, so chances are high that they'll find some way to screw it up.

Having said that, though, they do look to be in a fairly nice position for the future. 

Griffin's a monster, and Gordon and Jordan are nice pieces to go along with him.  Aminu and Bledsoe seem like nice, young players to develop with that team. 

They certainly have a shot to be a contender within a couple of years. 

It would be kind of fun if the LAs met in the playoffs and the upstarts won. 

[Chris]

All depends if Donald Sterling dies (or is forced to sell the team after yet another display of his despicable behavior goes public) before the Lakers win another championship.

[Celtics18]

All depends if Donald Sterling dies (or is forced to sell the team after yet another display of his despicable behavior goes public) before the Lakers win another championship.

Isn't he in his 100s or something?  He's one of those guys who's probably too evil to die, anyway. 

[cman88]

I just hope the clippers are good enough next year that they dont  end up with a top 10 pick. if we can get a pick in the 11-15range, we can end up with some real talent