Ringer gives LA Clippers absurdly low odds in playoff predictor

The LA Clippers were given too low of playoff odds by The Ringer.

The NBA and the LA Clippers kick off their resumed regular season on Thursday and with the playoffs looming, the Clippers should have much better odds to make the Finals than what The Ringer is giving them in their playoff predictor.

The 2020 NBA season will go down as the most intriguing, random, and unique season in the league’s history as the regular season resumes and the playoffs begin shortly after in Orlando, Florida at Disney’s World Wide of Sports.

For the LA Clippers, the restart offers the chance for Doc Rivers to operate with a fully healthy roster, something the Clippers have rarely had the pleasure of having on the court all season.

Playoff predictions and predictor mechanisms have been making their rounds and The Ringer, a site I usually agree with on most things because of my liking for Bill Simmons, came out with their playoff picture predictor which included a round-by-round prediction with chances for each team to make it to the respective round and I must say, I strongly disagree with the Ringer staff on this one.

The Clippers have a lesser chance of making the second round than the Bucks, Lakers, and Raptors with a 68-percent chance of moving past the first round and when looking at the potential opponents the Clippers could face which includes the Mavericks, Rockets, Thunder and others, the Clippers outmatch all of those teams on paper and when healthy can run any of them out of the building.

As for the Lakers and Bucks, the predictor from The Ringer has them as clear favorites to make it out of their respective conferences at 72-percent and 42-percent respectively and the Clippers are placed at 28-percent, but not so fast on counting the Clippers out so quickly.

Friendly reminder, the Clippers did not have a fully healthy roster in all three contests against the Lakers and won two of the three contests and have a good chance to win a third time on Thursday night.

The Clippers are the only team in the NBA to defeat LeBron James and company more than once and with a fully healthy Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and strong supporting cast, there is no reason the Clippers shouldn’t be favored over a Lakers team that lost Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo, both strong rotational players who made strong impacts for the Lakers all season.

As for comparing the Clippers to the Bucks, it is pretty clear Milwaukee has an easier road to the Finals with MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way out East and not too many teams outside of Toronto and Boston posing a real threat to the Bucks en route to the Larry O’Brien title shot.

Leonard knows how to play Giannis defensively, but the Clippers and Bucks both have to get there first and the fact that the Clippers are so lowly rated in the graphic with a fully healthy roster of at least 11 guys who can give you quality postseason minutes is completely absurd.

The Clippers and Lakers have battled all season and will likely meet in the Western Conference Finals unless Denver, Houston or Dallas makes some unexpected noise, but the Clippers should have a slight edge over James, Davis and the Lakers in the Orlando bubble with not having to play seven road games in Staples Center.

I love you Bill Simmons and company, but I can’t agree with you here.