The LA Clippers face a crucial seven-game road trip that can make or break their momentum toward the playoffs. Now’s the time to capitalize. Vital games against top teams in the East and division rivals in the West are what’s ahead for the Clippers. Los Angeles is continuing to hunt for a top-four seed in the Western Conference when the playoffs roll around. For now, the Clippers look to at least stay on pace with the top contenders of the West.
LA Clippers Must Take Advantage of Long Road Trip
Sixth in the West, with a 31-24 record, the Clippers are yet to be settled, on the brink of a play-in spot. Having played in the play-in once, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, that’s not the best spot to be in. If the playoffs were to begin today, LA would have a first-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
Leading the Clips at the break has been the core trio of James Harden, Norman Powell, and Ivica Zubac. Kawhi Leonard has only played 16 games since returning in early January. While he has slowly progressed into being himself again, Leonard hasn’t necessarily been the number one option.
Powell has led the Clippers in scoring with 24.2 points a game, by far his best scoring season. Growing into a starter role this season, Powell has been able to take more shots and has been one of the Clippers’ go-to players. Zubac has been the anchor of the team’s incredible defense, averaging 12.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks a game. Harden leads LA with 8.6 assists as the 2025 All-Star looks to lead this team to the playoffs.
With the acquisitions of Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline and signing Ben Simmons off the buyout market from the Brooklyn Nets, they look to play a key role in the last two months of the regular season. Bogdanovic is averaging 10 points a game and can be a reliable shooter off the bench. Simmons, on the other hand, looks to be a facilitator and defender who can change the game in an instant. Los Angeles hopes to get the best out of Simmons.
Advantages of Playing at Home & A Look Ahead
The Intuit Dome has been a best friend to the Clippers this season. LA has a 19-10 home record, placing them top five in the West and top ten in the league. With the introduction of Steve Ballmer’s new arena to the league, it has been quite challenging for opposing teams to secure victories. There was a point in early November when the Clippers won nine straight on their home floor. It would be a game-changer for LA if they can secure home-court advantage in round one.
As for the rest of the season, the Clippers return to begin their run to the playoffs. The first game coming back from the All-Star break was a loss against the Milwaukee Bucks. The trip to the Midwest began a seven-game road trip. After games at Indiana, Detroit, and Chicago the Clippers will back-to-back games against the LA Lakers before wrapping up with a game against Phoenix. It will be the first time the Clippers play at the Crypto.com Arena since moving to Inglewood a few months ago. The Clippers need to make the most of their road games and come back home on a positive note. The race in the West gets tighter as the games go by, especially for the Clippers facing playoff-bound teams.
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