Clippers Can Start Dreaming About a Deep Postseason Run

The Los Angeles Clippers went through a historic turnaround this season, becoming the first team ever to go over .500 after being 15 games below it. As a result, they have managed to go up to the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a 33-32 record. In their last 38 games, the Clippers have the second-best record in the league at 27-11. In that span, they have the second-best offensive rating and eighth-best defensive rating, per Cleaning the Glass.

Looking at the standings, one can say that the Clippers still have a long way to go before thinking of themselves as contenders. In reality, however, all signs are pointing to LA being able to make a deep postseason run.

Clippers Shouldn't Be Ignored as a Conference Finals Candidate

The Clippers have an incredibly easy schedule down the stretch. Only four of their remaining 17 games are against teams projected to make the playoffs. They don't have a single road game against a team over .500. In fact, they only have seven road games in total. Considering how bad the tanking gets in the final weeks of the season, the Clippers could easily win 13 of their remaining games. This would bring them up to 46 wins. Even if this doesn't earn them the seventh seed, it will clinch them the No. 8 seed.

This will likely set up a play-in game against the Suns in Phoenix. With the way Kawhi Leonard has been playing and how Darius Garland is playing himself into shape, the Clippers will be favored in that matchup. If they win, they will have a very favorable playoff road.

Becoming the seventh seed will mean that the Clippers will be on the other side of the bracket as the OKC Thunder. LA has a seven-game losing streak against OKC, all but two of them by double digits. It's a uniquely bad matchup for the Clippers, and the Thunder are easily the best team in the league. If they can avoid playing them until the Conference Finals, however, the Clippers should have a puncher's chance.

In this scenario, the Clippers would face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, and one of the Lakers, Rockets, Nuggets, or the Timberwolves in the second round. Not to say that the Clippers would be favored against any of these teams, but they are certainly not as formidable as the Thunder. They all have clear weaknesses, and the Clippers could feel good about having the best player on the court against most of these teams.

LA still has to get itself into the playoffs first. That is far from a guarantee, but at least for the first time this season, Clippers fans can dream about a deep postseason run. Considering how miserably this season started, this is a major accomplishment for the organization on its own.