If the LA Clippers advance from this series and head into the Western Conference Finals, they will play either the Phoenix Suns or the Denver Nuggets.
As for who they’d rather face off against, it’s a tough choice.
If going off of regular season records vs. each team, the Clippers are 2-1 against the Suns this year and 1-2 against the Nuggets this year. That being said, the Suns were four games better than the Nuggets overall.
There is no preferred opponent for the LA Clippers in this year’s Western Conference Finals.
The Suns as a team have been better offensively than the Nuggets this year. They’ve scored more points, shot better in general, shot better from the free throw line, and shot better from deep.
Their defensive efficiency has been much better than the Nuggets as well. Their defensive efficiency rating is 1.077 and the Nuggets’ defensive efficiency is 1.097.
The Nuggets have, however, blocked more shots and recorded more steals.
They’re also a much better rebounding team than the Suns, averaging 44.4 rebounds per game (13th in NBA) to the Suns 42.9 (23rd in NBA).
The Nuggets don’t have their one-two punch anymore with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, as Murray is injured. Jokic is still this year’s MVP, however, and is a dangerous matchup for anyone.
That’s why it’s notable that he said that the Suns’ Deandre Ayton is the toughest matchup for him out of anyone he’s played this year.
Nikola Jokic said Deandre Ayton was the big man who gave him the most trouble this season.
— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) June 5, 2021
“I think if you want to have a really good big man to start [your team], you can pick him. He’s young...he’s really trying to do the right thing out there.”
If Ayton’s giving Jokic fits, he very well could do the same to the Clippers’ big men.
While this all seems like the Suns are the tougher team, history does matter.
The Suns haven’t been at this stage since 2011, and have a very young roster with very little playoff experience on the team. The Nuggets, on the other hand, were just in the Western Conference Finals last year, after pulling their miraculous 3-1 comeback on us.
The Nuggets are going to come into the next round with a lot of confidence if they and the Clips win their conference semifinal series. They’ve been there and done that, and gotten the better of the Clips in the regular season too.
The Suns on the other hand, are new to this level.
It could go either way. There are both upsides and downsides to playing each of these teams. I do expect Phoenix to win the series, but it’s so evenly matched that the Clippers need to just focus on themselves.
There really is no preferred Western Conference matchup for the Clippers. Of course, they’ll need to focus on this series before putting any thought into the next, but even if they tried, there wouldn’t be any clear route to the Finals for them.
Both teams would pose unique challenges for the Clips.