After Tuesday night's games, the teams that will partake in the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament were finalized. With the bracket assembled, the league took the liberty of updating the schedule of each team that did not qualify, including the LA Clippers.
The Lakers, Suns, Kings, Pelicans, Celtics, Bucks, Pacers, and Knicks will all play for the right to claim the first ever NBA Cup in Las Vegas. Every other team not participating received an additional two games added to their regular season schedule.
Each team not vying for the NBA Cup will play one home and one away game while the tournament is taking place. For the Clippers, this means another game at the Utah Jazz on December 8, and another home contest against the Denver Nuggets on December 6.
The Clippers’ final 2 regular season games have been added:
— Will Eudy (@WillCEudy) November 29, 2023
- Home vs Denver on 12/6
- Away vs Utah on 12/8#ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/ZB0Cf5LipZ
The NBA gave the Clippers another game against the Nuggets
LA getting an additional game against Denver is highly ironic, considering the events of two nights ago. After the Clippers got torched and completely embarrassed by two of their former players on the Nuggets on Monday, it seems cruel of the NBA to match them up yet again.
The game will mark the second of Denver's now three trips to Los Angeles this season. On the flip side, the Clippers have already completed their one road trip to Denver. Up until this strange new scheduling scenario, a team would have never visited another team three times in one season.
The addition of another trip to Utah for the Clippers now gives them four total games against the Jazz this season as well. LA will host the Jazz twice in April after traveling to Salt Lake City twice before New Year's.