Clippers vs. Blazers, 2016 NBA playoffs: Chris Paul vs. Damian Lillard is as good as it gets in the 1st round

The Clippers should beat the Trail Blazers on a matchup that should get them ready to face the Warriors in the conference semifinals.

by Jeje Gomez

Apr 15, 2016, 6:12 PM UTC

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Clippers have largely been an afterthought in the West, eclipsed by the Golden State Warriors' and San Antonio Spurs' historically great seasons and stripped of dark horse contender status by the Oklahoma City Thunder. An injury and suspension for Blake Griffin certainly didn't help matters, as it left them shorthanded for a large stretch.

Yet once again, Chris Paul has willed his team 50+ wins and home court advantage in the playoffs against a surprising Portland Trail Blazers squad.

What Paul did in Griffin's absence was nothing short of brilliant. He upped his numbers and took control of games in the same ways he used to years ago. Only a truly special player could make a starting lineup featuring Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and 38-year-old Paul Pierce hold its own, much less excel, but that's exactly what the Clippers' franchise point guard did with the help of J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan.

Now that Griffin is back, the Clippers have the star power to compete with anyone. Depth continues to be an issue -- a trade for Jeff Green hasn't panned out as expected and Jamal Crawford's age is starting to show. When the stars perform at their peak level, however, that doesn't really matter. The Clippers' talent level makes them a great team that, while inferior to the top three seeds in the conference, should not be taken lightly.

The surprising Trail Blazers are the Clippers' first-round opponents. No one expected Portland to bounce back from losing four starters in one summer so quickly. With Damian Lillard taking another step forward, C.J. McCollum breaking out and a deep roster filled with competent role players, they managed to do just that under Terry Sttots' guidance. As former powers faded, the Trail Blazers seized the moment and grabbed a fifth seed that few thought was within their grasp.

The key to their success is the play of their backcourt. Lillard and McCollum combine for 46 of the team’s 105 points per game. They can both pull up from anywhere on the court and finish inside, which makes defending them a challenge. Stotts leverages that threat to get more limited players easy looks. As a result, the Trail Blazers have the seventh-best offense in the league, which makes up for their deficient defense.

The Clippers are clearly the more talented team and have more experience, but they will be going against a smart opponent with nothing to lose, which could make this a more interesting series than it appears to be on paper.

The matchup

Clippers (53-29, expected record 53-29) vs. Trail Blazers (44-38, expected record 43-39)
Clippers offensive efficiency: 106.5 (6th) | Trail Blazers offensive efficiency: 106.1 (7th)
Clippers defensive efficiency: 100.9 (6th) | Trail Blazers defensive efficiency: 105.6 (21st)
Season series: Clippers 3-1

Matchup to watch: Chris Paul vs. Damian Lillard

Paul has traditionally dominated Lillard in head-to-head matchups. This season, the Trail Blazers’ star has averaged just 18 points and six assists on 32 percent shooting from the field against the Clippers. Paul is already one of the greatest players ever, so there’s nothing shameful about struggling against him, but Portland has no shot at pulling off an upset without its biggest star having a monster series.

Lillard not only has to hurt Los Angeles with his offense, but also hold his own on defense. That’s easier said than done, as the Clippers’ big men set great screens to free up Paul. Lillard will have to fight through them, which is not something he always does. Otherwise, the already shaky Trail Blazers’ defense will struggle greatly. Paul with space to operate is as dangerous as any offensive player in the league.

Lillard has had huge playoff moments in the past and took the leap this year. Now it’s time to prove that he’s a superstar by matching the performance of one of the game’s greats.

X factor: Blake Griffin

The Clippers should beat the Trail Blazers handily, at least on paper. At full force, they are simply much more talented, as they have two top-10 players in Paul and Griffin. The problem is Griffin has missed significant time this season and unsurprisingly struggled since returning to action, averaging just 10 points and seven rebounds in the five regular season games in which he appeared after serving his suspension.

Doc Rivers might try to get Griffin touches early in the series to get him going. If he finds his rhythm, the Clippers' offense should be too potent for the Trail Blazers to handle and the series could end quickly. If he continues to struggle, however, it could give Portland the opportunity to steal a game in Los Angeles and make things competitive. The longer the series goes, the more the Clippers' lack of depth could come back to haunt them.

It’s hard to see the Clippers being eliminated in the first round but without Griffin at his best, the Trail Blazers would at least have a puncher’s chance.