Inglewood, CA (News4usOnline) – With six games left in the regular season, the Clippers could finish anywhere from third to eighth in the Western Conference.
Their 114-98 win over the Pelicans brought them into a tie for sixth with Memphis and Minnesota and within a half-game of Golden State in fifth. They are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, having won 12 of their last 15 games, and they need to keep pushing.
Despite New Orleans’ four best players, Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Dejounte Murray, and Trey Murphy, all being done for the season, the Pelicans kept it close late into the game, remaining within single digits well into the fourth quarter. The Clippers were able to pull away late, but they need to come out with more urgency in their upcoming back-to-back against Dallas.
“We weren’t physical enough, we weren’t hitting bodies, I think we got lost a lot with our bracket coverages, but I thought the second unit came in during the first half and played with some physicality and kind of got us going,” said Ty Lue.
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, shooting an efficient 60 percent from the field and three-point line. The Clippers’ star player is humming right now, breaking the 20-point mark in ten straight, and he is playing healthy basketball, logging 38 minutes in four out of their last five. Leonard’s health is everything.
Six different players scored double figures for LA, despite Lue saying the offense looked “nasty out there at times”. They are one of the only teams in the league that realistically have five different players who can lead them in scoring any night.
“We talked about it at halftime. When you are not playing well offensively and still have 59 points at halftime, that is the sign of a decent team. We know we have to clean up a few things and be better in that regard,” said Lue. “Overall, I thought we did a decent job.”
Even though they did not play all the way up to their standards, it was a much-needed win for the Clippers. They probably need a minimum of four more to avoid the seven-eight play-in game, and a perfect 6-0 could potentially get them home court advantage in the first round.
Luckily, there is no scenario in which they fall entirely out of the postseason; they have at least clinched game 83, but that game being in the play-in tournament makes winning a first-round series an uphill battle.
The play-in comes with many challenges. Not only is there the looming threat of facing elimination, but even if you win, the reward is a rested top-seed with home court advantage. It is not an ideal situation, making every game a must-win from here on out.
Per usual, the West is no joke this season, and every series is going to be a battle. The Clippers want to have every advantage on their side if and when they get there.
Featured Image: Kawhi Leonard (2) goes to the basket against several players from the New Orleans Pelicans during an NBA game played at Intuit Dome on April 2, 2025. Photo credit: Carlos Jones/News4usOnline
Benjamin Verbrugge is a reporter for News4usonline who studied journalism at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sports have brought me much joy throughout my life, and I want to give a little back to something that has meant so much to me.” Email Benjamin at benverbrugge8@gmail.com.
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