It may be a different year, but it could very well turn out to be the same old story for the snakebitten Los Angeles Clippers. Just as it was beginning to look like the Clippers were figuring things out following their trade deadline shakeup by shaking off a five-game losing skid that could have been truly devastating, they then lost noted Kawhi Leonard sidekick Paul George to a knee sprain that would, at the very least, keep the Clippers star out for two to three weeks.
While that development will certainly be a welcome one for the Clippers brass, given how bad George's injury looked at first glance, the timing is certainly irksome for a veteran team that some pundits thought could make noise had they managed to remain healthy. With how talented George is, it's certainly not the wisest wager for any betting man to gamble on the Clippers to mount a deep playoff run without his services.
Even then, with Kawhi Leonard still active, healthy, and playing as well as he has been over the past three months, it's difficult to count the Clippers out entirely. Moreover, while some of the most prominent members of the Clippers' supporting cast aren't particularly in their primes, their veteran nous would go a long way towards helping them weather the storm amid George's absence.
Of course, making the 2023 NBA Playoffs isn't a given for them at this point, given how congested the Western Conference standings is. But with nine games left in the season, the Clippers should have more than enough talent to avoid the play-in tournament entirely. And once that happens, they will have to hope that things go their way… for once.
Clippers’ dream seeding scenario, matchup for 2023 NBA Playoffs: Face the Phoenix Suns in a 4-5 matchup
Some may think that facing the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the playoffs will be the ideal scenario for virtually any lower-seeded team, since the Kings' inexperience could leave them vulnerable to a playoff upset. However, for the Clippers' purposes, they will want to avoid the Kings given their difficulties in dealing with versatile passing big men (Domantas Sabonis) and ferocious slashers (De'Aaron Fox).
Sure, the Clippers offense will have plenty of breathing room when facing the Kings, as evidenced by their last two high octane affairs that ended with the two teams combining for 606 points. However, their defense will have so many difficulties dealing with the Kings' whirring, dribble handoff heavy offense.
Moreover, one of the biggest weaknesses of the Kings' defense (ranked 26th) is their paint defense. The Kings allow the fourth-most points in the paint to their opponents. This is understandable, since Domantas Sabonis, for all his strengths, isn't a particularly adept rim protector. The problem is that the Clippers offense is jumpshot heavy, as they rank 27th in the NBA for points in the paint per game.
Thus, as exciting a matchup between the Clippers and Kings may be, it could prove to be a less-than-ideal matchup, especially for a veteran team.
Enter the Phoenix Suns.
Kevin Durant's return from injury, of course, changes things. It makes the Suns an infinitely more terrifying matchup; not only would Durant relieve Devin Booker and Chris Paul of considerable offensive burden, it would give Phoenix two guys who command double teams on the perimeter alongside a gifted playmaker who turns even the littlest opening into the biggest advantage.
Of course, Durant, according to the latest reports, could make his return to the Suns lineup as soon as early April. But the Clippers will need lady luck to be on their side this time.
No one should wish for Durant to get hurt, or remain hurt. After all, he is one of the greatest players of all time. But at the very least, the Clippers will be hoping that the Suns forward would be rusty and play well below his lofty standards.
Even then, with or without Durant, it sure looks like the Clippers match up better against the Suns than any other potential first-round opponent. Their primary strength lies in their wing depth, and they could very well run small against the Suns to allow them to cover as much space as they could amid all the attention Booker and KD would draw. The Suns' offense is also reliant on jumpshots, making them prone to variance.
The Clippers also match up well against the Golden State Warriors; however, does any team really want to face the reigning champions, especially with Stephen Curry leading the way? The Warriors have certainly earned their respect, making them a scary team to face even during a down season.
Make no mistake, the Suns are a difficult matchup. But there are no easy matchups in the West. They will need luck to face a team they match up well against, and the Suns are it.
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