The Los Angeles Clippers wrapped up a fantastic victory on Wednesday night over their cross-town rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. It has been 11 straight victories for the Clippers over the Lakers, but more importantly, the Clippers control their destiny in the final two games of the regular season. Two more wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns lock them up at the fifth, which means they avoid the play-in tournament.
For most franchises, the objective is to reach the top six and avoid the play-in tournament. Still, columnists or fans have opened up the idea of evading the fifth seed because that squad will play the ultra-talented Suns in the first round of the playoffs. Among the teams that can finish No. 5, the Clippers must refrain from tanking in one of their last two games to avoid the Suns and possibly slip into the play-in tournament.
With that in mind, these are three substantial reasons why the Clippers must go all-in for the fifth seed in the West.
Durant and the Suns are still figuring out their chemistry.
As of today, Kevin Durant has played only seven games for Phoenix. The Suns have three regular-season games remaining, but they will likely stay as the fourth seed in the West. By Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, that will be the 11th game of Durant with the rest of the crew, so it is evident that the chemistry and rhythm are still a work in progress for the Suns.
For a team finding its groove, it will be much better for L.A. to beat them at the earlier juncture of the postseason. If the Clippers want to win the NBA championship this year, they must get through the Suns either way. Even with Paul George's availability in question, L.A. has the depth to compete with Phoenix in a seven-game series, possibly upset them in a first-round tussle.
The depth of the Clippers is remarkable.
The massive victory of the Clippers over the Lakers highlighted their incredible depth and the role of players on the fold. Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon were the fire starters for L.A., but coach Tyronn Lue decided to close with the athletic duo of Bones Hyland and Norman Powell. Hyland and Powell were hot in the third and fourth quarters, respectively, so it was evident that the players allowed Lue to coach and adjust his rotations on the fly.
Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Terance Mann, and Robert Covington are four Swiss Army types of guys who will be thrown to defend Kevin Durant and Devin Booker throughout the series. Furthermore, there was a huge question mark on the frontcourt depth of the Clippers, but they have two terrific options in Ivica Zubac and Mason Plumlee to rotate in guarding Deandre Ayton.
The X-Factor Paul George
Many fans of opposing teams are starting to get terrified by the latest play of the Clippers. They have a plethora of options offensively and defensively, and the pre-season favorites are heading in the right direction. Even with the incredible love they have been receiving, the Clippers are still missing the services of an All-Star caliber player, Paul George.
He sustained a gruesome leg injury a couple of weeks ago, but the expectation is he will return for the first round of the playoffs. George's impeccable play can swing the tide of their series with the Suns because Phoenix will need to keep an eye on a guy who can explode for 30-40 points on any given night.
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