"The Clippers' roster is complex, which makes them unpredictable. Harden, Leonard, Powell, and Zubac's ability to score buckets in isolation gives them an advantage that most teams can’t match on offense or defense." - News Editor / Sarah Shockey
The Los Angeles Clippers have made the 2025 NBA Playoffs following their 124-119 win on Sunday afternoon against the Golden State Warriors in overtime. The five-seed Clippers will now face off against the Denver Nuggets, who fired their general manager and head coach less than two weeks ago. Career years from Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac have given this team life, and 50 wins for a team in the Western Conference when Kawhi Leonard played just 37 is nothing to take lightly.
The Clippers are in line to go on a run. They ended the season 18-3, carrying the best record in the NBA during that span. Winning in March and April has typically meant success in the NBA Playoffs. For example, the reigning champion Boston Celtics ended the year 16-4 in 2024.
Four reasons to believe in a Clippers championship run are as follows: Leonard, James Harden, Zubac, and Tyronn Lue.
The motor that keeps the Clippers running will be Leonard. Leonard, over the 21-game stretch to end the regular season, has averaged:
25.5 points per game
7.1 rebounds per game
52.8 field goal percentage
44.6 three-point percentage
83.1 free throw percentage
Kawhi Leonard’s playoff history speaks for itself. The 33-year-old is averaging 29.3 points per game in his last 50 NBA playoff games, And he’s not alone with the ability to win in April and May.
James Harden, who has aged like his own fine wine, has made his 16th straight NBA playoff appearance. In the NBA, he’s 20th in points per game with 22.8 and fifth in assists per game with 8.7. He is coming off being named Western Conference Player of the Week, where he averaged 29.5 points per game on 53.4% from the field. ‘The System’ is an all-NBA level player at age 35 and has 87 playoff wins to his name. One of the best shot creators and playmakers in the league is still feared in a playoff setting.
The man in the middle and potential NBA Most Improved Player is the X-Factor for the Clippers’ title hopes. Zubac is averaging a career-high in multiple categories: 16.8 points per game, 12.6 rebounds per game, and 80 games played. The biggest impact Zubac has is on defense, as well as giving the Clippers more possessions. Zubac is one of the best rebounders in the game, including on offense. He is first in putback field goals made with 103. The Clippers are fifth in the NBA in contested rebound percentage thanks to Zubac. With more possessions comes more shots, and with more shots comes more points. A pretty good identity to have in the playoffs.
The man at the top is Lue. The former NBA Championship coach in 2016 has proved his worth in a resurgence with the Clippers, dating back to 2021. In the 2021 playoffs, Lue showed his ability to adjust in tough situations. Going to small ball lineups, starting different players, and going to a switch-heavy defense on NBA stars mid-series against Luka Doncic, among other things. Lue led a Kawhi-less Clippers team to the Western Conference Finals and has proven to be one of the NBA’s best coaches when it comes to playoff time.
The NBA playoffs have as much to do with role players as they do with stars. Christian Braun and Payton Pritchard have been the last two on the NBA Championship teams. The Clippers have multiple candidates for the hero playoff role player. Kris Dunn was third in the NBA with 128 steals in the regular season. Nicolas Batum last year scored 20 points and a game-sealing block in the final seconds to lift the Philadelphia 76ers over the Miami Heat in the seventh-seed play-in game a year ago. He’s expected to come back from injury soon. They also have Noman Powell, averaging 21.8 points per game, if you still classify him as a role player.
The Clippers’ roster is complex, which makes them unpredictable. Harden, Leonard, Powell, and Zubac’s ability to score buckets in isolation gives them an advantage that most teams can’t match on offense or defense. 73.8% of Harden’s field goals attempted are unassisted, per NBA University. When it comes to the playoffs and teams’ identities, the unpredictability of an isolation move can go a long way.
The Clippers have no easy path in their route to the top. They will face the 2023 NBA Champions in the Denver Nuggets, and likely have a second-round matchup with the favorites to win the title in the Oklahoma City Thunder. I have a true belief that if anyone outside Oklahoma City makes the NBA Finals out of the Western Conference, it will be the Clippers. The world-class arena in the Intuit Dome will be out in full force in its inaugural season. Games can come down to free throws, and “The Wall” will play a factor, like it has throughout the regular season. The Clippers are ready to make their first-ever NBA finals.
Leonard is their best player, Harden is the All-Star, Zubac is indispensable to their ceiling, and NBA Champion Lue is putting the puzzle together. The NBA’s best-kept secret is ready to roll.
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