New-look Clippers at a crossroads to see if they are still a top team in West
LOS ANGELES_For six years, the Los Angeles Clippers stood among the best of the NBA, a team listed in the company of the championship contenders despite their constant playoff failures.
They are no longer seen in the same light.
As the Clippers prepare to launch their 2017-18 season, they now are regarded as a team at the crossroads.
No one is picking them to finish in the top four in the uber-competitive Western Conference, which was something the Clippers had accomplished the last six seasons.
Presumably, the Clippers still are a playoff team,
