Breaking down the LA Clippers’ path to 50 wins
The LA Clippers will need to win three of their next four games in order to reach 50 wins on the season. With a tough slate ahead, is it possible?
The LA Clippers have been playing their best basketball of the season since the All-Star break, winning 15 of their last 19 games against what has admittedly been a less-than-difficult schedule. During that same stretch, the Clippers have gone 4-4 against teams currently in the playoff bracket.
What that says, though, is that the Clippers have also gone 11-0 against the teams that they should beat, and that’s still a mighty impressive feat — especially since six of those came on the road.
Now, the Clippers enter April with a 47-31 record and sole possession of the Western Conference’s sixth seed. Having already clinched a spot in the playoffs, the Clippers don’t need to win any of the four games remaining on their schedule. But other teams, specifically those behind them in the standings, have a more favorable schedule to end the season — and no one wants to face the Denver Nuggets or Golden State Warriors in the first round.
To avoid falling from their position, the Clippers could need to win out, or at least win a majority of their upcoming games. And with the week they have ahead, it’ll be much easier said than done.
vs. Houston Rockets (4/3)
LA’s quest to 50 will begin on Wednesday night, when they host the Houston Rockets for the first time since October 21. Fortunately, Houston will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and the Clippers will have had two full days off.
MVP candidate James Harden has been on a tear since the All-Star break, averaging 35.8 points and 7.1 assists in just over 36 minutes per game. Meanwhile, Chris Paul has averaged 15.3 points and 8.5 assists over the same stretch of time.
The Clippers have split the season series with the Rockets to this point, but since the two haven’t met since October 26, there’s not much of a point of even considering what’s happened this year. LA has changed drastically since then, and the Rockets have become a much stronger team.
Patrick Beverley and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will both be important factors in this matchup. Both strong defenders, Beverley could hassle Harden and Shai could bother Paul with his length.
That’s not to say the Clippers will neutralize Houston’s guards, because there’s hardly a player capable of getting in Harden’s way. He’s going to go for at least 30 no matter the opponent. But it helps to have guys like Beverley who A.) Know his tendencies and B.) Probably belong on the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team.
It’s a winnable game for the Clippers if they push the tempo and wear down the tired Rockets. But if Harden takes over, especially early on, the Clippers may be playing from behind all night long. That being said, I’ll give this one to LA.
vs. Los Angeles Lakers (4/5)
The LA Clippers will have one last matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers this season, though they’ll hardly be recognizable as the Lakers by then.
LeBron James and Brandon Ingram have both been shut down for the season, Kyle Kuzma has missed the last few games with a foot injury (and has no need to rush back), and Josh Hart underwent season-ending surgery on March 28. Ingram didn’t play in the last meeting with the Clippers, but the other three players combined for 57 of the Lakers’ 105 points.
The Lakers do still have some power — Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has put up some big numbers in the last few games, and Rajon Rondo managed a triple-double in his last outing against the Clippers.
Like the Rockets, the Lakers will also play the night before they meet with the Clippers — and they’ll go up against the Golden State Warriors, of all teams.
Knowing all that, it’s hard to think of a reason why the Lakers would have a chance in this one, and the Clippers should be one win away from 50 by the end of the night.
@ Golden State Warriors (4/7)
Of the four upcoming games on the LA Clippers’ schedule, the matchup against the Golden State Warriors should be the most difficult — and will likely serve as a reminder as to why the Clippers don’t want to meet them in the first round of the playoffs.
The Warriors haven’t had as dominant a regular season as many fans have become accustomed to, despite sitting atop the Western Conference with a 53-24 record. They also have one of the most talented starting units in NBA history, which now features five healthy All-Stars.
Typically, an end-of-season game against the Golden State Warriors might not be much to worry about. By now, they usually have the top seed wrapped up and resting their stars in preparation for the playoffs. This time around though, the Warriors have something to play for.
Just two games separate the Warriors from the Denver Nuggets, and with home court throughout the Western Conference Playoffs on the line, both teams will be set on winning out.
The Clippers do have a chance against the Warriors though, and that’s mostly because of a rest advantage. While both teams will get the day off prior to the matchup, the Warriors will play five games over the next seven days — a grueling end to the season.
If there’s a game that LA will most likely lose, it’s this one. That gives them just one more game to hit 50…
vs. Utah Jazz (4/10)
The final game of the LA Clippers’ season may end up being the most important. Virtually tied with the Utah Jazz at the moment, the outcome of this game will likely determine which team plays the Houston Rockets in the first round, and which plays the Portland Trail Blazers, assuming both of those teams stay locked into a top-four seed.
Like the rest of the matchups on this list, the Clippers will also have a rest advantage in this one as well — the Jazz will play the night before against the Denver Nuggets, which will surely be an important game, while the Clippers will get two full days off before Ralph Lawler calls his last regular season game.
The Clippers have lost both of their previous matchups with the Jazz this season, the most recent being a six-point loss on the road.
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Again, this is a winnable game, and the one that fans might even feel most confident about. With plenty of days to prepare and Lawler-themed festivities planned for the season finale, it’s hard to imagine the LA Clippers dropping this one as they head into the playoffs.