The Los Angeles Clippers: A team of many talents

After winning a franchise record of 17 consecutive games (the longest stretch in the NBA since 2008 when the Boston Celtics won 19 consecutive games) and compiling a record of 25-8 thus far, the Los Angeles Clippers have proven they are a contender for the NBA title this year.

Why do the Clippers work? Simple. The Clippers have created one of the deepest rosters in the NBA and have spread out the responsibilities to all of their players.

The Clippers’ success is due to the fact that the team has depth. They are not like the star-studded Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. Instead, the Clippers are led by a star, assisted by talented youth and surrounded by skilled veterans. Between MVP candidate Chris Paul, All-Star Blake Griffin and the many gifted players the Clippers have attained in the last two years (including Matt Barnes, Chauncey Billups and Jamal Crawford to name a few), it's easy to see how the Clippers are thriving. The team's roster is exceptional even though none of the names are superstars.

The team’s starters and bench players are equally important as well, which is why the Clippers lead the NBA in second unit scoring and defense. They rank second in bench scoring at 41.7 points per game. Bench players like Barnes and Crawford have been especially valuable this season. Over the last 15 games, Barnes had averaged 55.2 percent shooting and 42.4 percent from the three-point line. Crawford has averaged 16.5 points, and in the start of the season, led the team in scoring.

The Clippers also rank top five in field goal percentage (fifth), rebounds (fourth), assists (third), blocks (second) and steals (first). 

It doesn't get much better than that.