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LA Clippers: Is winning a home court spot crucial in 2021?

By Jordan German

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 18: Limited capacity fans attend the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves basketball game at Staples Center on April 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. It has been over a year since fans have gathered at the Staples Center due to the coronavirus pandemic. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 18: Limited capacity fans attend the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves basketball game at Staples Center on April 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. It has been over a year since fans have gathered at the Staples Center due to the coronavirus pandemic. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 18: An usher check the vaccination card of a Los Angeles Clippers fan as they attend for the first time over a year a basketball game between Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on April 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 18: An usher check the vaccination card of a Los Angeles Clippers fan as they attend for the first time over a year a basketball game between Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on April 18, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

LA Clippers at home in the postseason

Since the team first qualified for the NBA Playoffs under the Clippers branding in 1991-92, they have played a total of 50 home games in the playoffs, and the franchise’s record at this point stands at 26-24. Seeing as the franchise has only two more wins than they have in losses since the 1992 NBA Playoffs, it would seem that their playoff woes have been painful both at home and away. Clippers fans are very accustomed to regular-season numbers not translating over to the playoffs, and this is another statistic that doesn’t lend itself to being in the favor of the LA Clippers.

Even cutting down that sample size of 50 home games since 1992, the numbers still aren’t large enough to prove whether the Clippers are a better home or away team come playoff time.

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In their last 5 playoff appearances, the Clippers have gone 7-10 at home against the Spurs, Rockets, Trail Blazers, Jazz, Warriors, Mavericks, and Nuggets. Despite the 2020 NBA Playoffs not truly having home court due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the LA Clippers still came out negative in their technical home games with a record of 3-4 thanks to that miserable 3-1 collapse against the Denver Nuggets.

Case in point, the Clippers as a franchise have always been 2 or 3 games ahead or behind of their win record at home in the playoffs.

For a set of optimistic eyes, these historic numbers look great because the team has done about the same both on the road and at home, and for a set of pessimistic eyes, it is a reminder of the constant failures of the Clippers to close out on leads or get themselves into a series for the long run.

Either way you look at it, there really isn’t a true sign of whether the Clippers will be doomed with or without home-court for the first round. Only three games stand between their 29-year win-loss record in the playoffs, and the same goes for the last five playoff series the Clippers played in.

Just looking at the 1st round, we have yet another puzzling statistic that is dead even. Since 1992, the LA Clippers have had home-court six times during the 1st round, and they came out of it 3-3. This statistic does not include the 2020 NBA Playoffs, as the Clippers did not get to start Game 1 at Staples Center.

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