DonovanClingan

Preseason question: Can Clingan’s regular-season exploits as a traditional drop big man translate to the postseason? Granted, it was arguably the worst possible matchup for Clingan, but the Blazers’ loss to the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs last season wasn’t exactly how he wanted to punctuate a breakout sophomore campaign. Clingan’s mobility was put to the test against the Spurs’ litany of driving guards and the unprecedented talents of Wemby. Clingan also managed to have one of the worst shooting performances from a center in a playoff series this century—not being able to finish down low and not hitting spot-up 3s is a disastrous formula for a player whose offensive contributions are mostly limited to those two areas. We know Clingan has the size and feel to be a tremendously impactful 82-game player, but his conditioning and offensive skill development will determine whether he’s a playoff-viable starter.