Clippers preview: Can Kawhi Leonard and Paul George win a title together?
The early October evening and a new NBA season approached when Steve Ballmer returned to the topic that has consumed his eight years of owning the Clippers.
Inside a West Adams compound hidden from the street by high walls, Ballmer turned to Baron Davis, Paul Pierce and Jamal Crawford, the former Clippers he was seated next to during a test broadcast of the team's new streaming service. As it often does with Ballmer, the conversation turned to championships.
"My pattern," Ballmer said, "says you've just got to have one of those guys."
Pierce, whose 2008 NBA title with Boston came alongside two other All-Stars in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, spoke up.
"You have to have a guy who is considered at least a top-five player to win a championship," he said. "So when you look at the championship teams, there've only been a few who've won it without a guy who's considered a top-five. In our case with Boston, we had KG who was considered a top-five guy. And so Kawhi is considered that guy."
Pierce continued: "I think that's the common equation to a championship contender."
"You've got to have a
