Clippers could clinch a playoff spot today. Here’s how ...
When Clippers coach Tyronn Lue began a deep dive on potential playoff opponents last week, identifying out-of-timeout tendencies and memorizing play calls, he did so operating on the belief his team most likely would be either the Western Conference second or third seed.
But given how little room separates the Western Conference playoff contenders, Lue might not be able to zero in on a specific opponent until the final days of the regular season, which closes May 16. The NBA’s play-in tournament begins May 18 and the full postseason four days later.
Currently in third, the Clippers (43-20) can clinch their ninth postseason berth in the last 10 seasons as soon as Tuesday night, if Portland loses to Indiana. Locking in a first-round matchup, though? That will take longer.
West-leading Utah (44-17) is only one game ahead of second-place Phoenix (43-18), which is one game up on the Clippers, who are two games ahead of fourth-place Denver (40-21).
Injuries in Detroit and uncertainty with the Clippers led Reggie Jackson to consider quitting basketball. The Clippers have been rejuvenated by his return.
Two Clippers games this week with significant seeding implications will help shake out the playoff order. They face the Suns on Wednesday, and the Clippers already have beaten Phoenix twice this season and own the tiebreaker. On Saturday, the Clippers and Nuggets meet at Staples Center in a game that will determine the series tiebreaker.
The Clippers most likely will finish as the third seed, according to the Ringer’s playoff predictor, and their most likely first-round opponent is Dallas in what would be a rematch from last season’s first round.
Yet with nine regular-season games to play, the Clippers have not eliminated the possibility of facing the Lakers in the first round. The Lakers (36-25) sit in fifth, four games behind Denver and 2½ games up on sixth-place Dallas. Their most likely seeding is fifth, per the Ringer’s model.
During a season that has seen the Clippers approach NBA records for shooting accuracy, one common element is a trust in coach Tyronn Lue’s offense.
The Staples Center co-tenants have not met in the postseason, but the injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis that began a Lakers slide down the standings could turn a potential Western Conference Final matchup into a much earlier meeting.
With their loss Monday in New Orleans, the Clippers missed a chance to clinch their playoff berth. It’s a foregone conclusion they’ll make the field; Lue said they have “bigger goals in mind” once postseason play begins. To that end, FiveThirtyEight’s forecast gives the Clippers a 30% chance to win the Finals, well ahead of Philadelphia (16%) and Brooklyn (16%).
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