Clippers tied for third to win NBA title, according to GM survey

The Clippers were tied for third most likely team to win the NBA championship this season, according to an anonymous poll by the team’s general managers.

The Clippers, along with the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder, received 11.5% of the votes for third place, trailing only San Antonio (46.2%) and Cleveland (15.4%).

The Clippers were also selected as the third most likely team to win the Western Conference with 11.1% of the votes, behind San Antonio (55.6%) and Oklahoma City (29.6%). The Clippers, who are the reigning Pacific Conference champions, were overwhelmingly favorited by the general managers to claim that title again, with 81.5% of the votes.

Cleveland’s LeBron James was voted the most likely player to win the MVP award (67.9%). Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant came in second with 21.4% of the votes. Clippers’ star power forward Blake Griffin and Clippers’ star point guard Chris Paul also received votes.

Paul was voted the best point guard in the NBA, receiving 71.4% of the votes. Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook got second place with 10.7%.

Kobe Bryant was voted the third-best shooting guard in the league with 7.4% of the votes, trailing Houston’s James Harden (63%) and Golden State’s Klay Thompson (18.5%).

Griffin and Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge were tied as the top power forward in the league, each receiving 25% of the votes.

Chicago’s Joakim Noah was voted the best defensive player in the NBA with 35.7% of the votes.

Clippers’ Coach Doc Rivers got a nod as the second-best manager/motivator of people. He received 35.7% of votes, trailing only San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, who received 57.1% of votes.

Twitter: @melissarohlin