Every time Tyronn Lue steps into a post-game press conference, when the players are asked questions following the 11 losses they have had this season, or even when Lawrence Frank is interviewed, it is clear that everyone is aware they are far from their potential. However, there is a new truth in the building: the Clippers will automatically be a play-in tournament contender. Yet, realizing this still makes the season thus far a disappointment.
It is safe to say the Clippers got overzealous with their expectations in the offseason. They had all the health in the world, particularly around Kawhi Leonard, and thought key upgrades had been made, which led to a bit too much confidence that ultimately bit them in the first 25 games of the regular season.
Thus, by reaching an internal agreement between the coaching staff and players that the play-in is where they will end up, the Clippers must remain humble about their playoff chances and work their way up.
The LA Clippers’ only realistic play-in competition is already seeded between eight and ten
Although the LA Clippers just defeated the Charlotte Hornets, with a franchise record of 55 points from James Harden, they are still the 12th seed in the Western Conference. This implies that LA does, in fact, have the utmost competition for the 10th seed or higher.
On the contrary, the Utah Jazz, who are the 11th seed, have a tough stretch, facing 11 of their next 14 opponents as top-eight seeds, which extends into the new year.
The Clippers should be worried about the Jazz, but with a test coming up that they may not be prepared for, LA may like their chances of overlapping them, and then claiming the tenth seed from the Memphis Grizzlies, who have Jaren Jackson Jr. listed as day-to-day with an injury, and other pivotal players like Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Brandon Clarke, out for quite some time.
The Clippers may even be able to move higher if they can sustain a winning streak that could begin today versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That said, everyone on the Clippers must only stick to their assigned duties. The players need to focus on production on both ends of the court, the coaches on the schematics, and the front office on the trade deadline. Doing so will, unknowingly, ease the play-in route they are bound to finish in.