Jan 24, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Isaiah Roby (22) tries to score past LA Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) dirge the third quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports — © Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

LA Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Preview, How to Watch and Betting Info

The LA Clippers will cap off their 2020-21 regular season on Sunday night when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Author:
Garrett Chorpenning
Publish date:
May 16, 2021 11:02 AM EDT

After dropping Friday night's contest against the Houston Rockets, the LA Clippers will head back on the road on Sunday night and take on the Oklahoma City Thunder to close out the 2020-21 regular season.

Given the unpredictable nature of this time of year in the NBA, it's hard to get a gauge on what tonight's contest will look like. The Thunder — winners of just one game since March 31 — clearly have motivation to lose this one, as the franchise is in prime position to score one of the top picks in the 2021 NBA Draft. On the other hand, the Clippers currently sit behind the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference standings and do not control their own destiny for the No. 3 seed. Even if they beat the Thunder tonight, they'll also need the Nuggets to lose to the Portland Trail Blazers to jump up a spot — if they so desire.

The Clippers will have homecourt for the first round of the playoffs, but it's still unknown who they'll play or which side of the bracket they'll be on.

Playoff implications aside, there are still a few things for Clippers fans to keep an eye on in tonight's contest.

Serge Ibaka returned from a 30-game absence in Friday's loss to the Rockets and put together a solid all-around performance. He isn't listed on the injury report ahead of tonight's matchup, so expect him to put in another 20 minutes as he gets back into shape.

LA's starters are off the injury report as well, but considering this could be a relatively low-stakes contest, it's hard to say how much run they'll get. At the end of the day, the Clippers don't necessarily need Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to play 30+ minutes apiece to take down the Thunder. Ensuring their health and safety ahead of a potentially deep playoff run is paramount.

No matter the outcome of tonight's contest, playoff basketball is only a few days away. We're finally close to seeing exactly what this Clippers team is capable of achieving, and it should be a fun ride.