California’s Four NBA Teams Reach Playoffs in Same Season for First Time
The Lakers earned a thrilling, come-from-behind 108–102 overtime win over the Timberwolves in Tuesday night’s Western Conference play-in game. The victory helped the iconic franchise make history after earning the No. 7 seed in the West, marking the first time in NBA history that all four teams from the state of California qualified for the playoffs in the same season.
Since the Kings moved to Sacramento in 1985, there has never been a postseason that featured all four California teams.
LeBron James and the Lakers, who got off to a dismal 2–10 start to the season, rebounded to post a 43–39 record in the regular season and will now face the No. 2 seed Grizzlies.
Sacramento, after going 48–34 in the regular season, snapped a playoff drought that dated back to 2007. The Kings earned the No. 3 seed in the West and will face Stephen Curry and the Warriors, who grabbed the No. 6 seed after winning eight of their last 10 games down the stretch.
The Clippers, who went 44–38, earned the No. 5 seed and will face off against Kevin Durant and the Suns, who slid into the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference after winning seven of their final 10 games.
Previously, the most California teams to ever make the playoffs in the same season was three, but never have NBA fans been treated to seeing all four teams playing for a championship trophy in the same season.
