Los Angeles Clippers 2025 NBA Playoffs Preview: Key stats, X-factor and more
The Los Angeles Clippers are riding as much momentum into the playoffs as any team in the NBA behind a balanced attack led by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Head coach Tyronn Lue helped the team stay afloat during Leonard’s absence during the first half of the year, but after his return to the court, the Clippers have been dominant.
The Los Angeles Clippers finished one win shy of last year’s total despite losing Paul George in free agency to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the one extra loss proved costly, landing them in the fifth spot in the Western Conference instead of the third. They’ll start their playoff run on the road and are unlikely to have home-court advantage in the postseason at any point.
Kawhi Leonard essentially served as the Los Angeles Clippers’ midseason addition when he returned from inflammation in his right knee. While he took some time to get re-acclimated to playing every night, Leonard has returned to form.
The Clippers are riding the league’s longest winning streak into the playoffs (8). In that stretch, Los Angeles took down five teams that made it to the Western Conference playoffs or play-in tournament. If not for losses to the Cavaliers and Thunder by a combined seven points, the Clippers’ win streak would have been up to 17 games.
Defining statistic: Defensive harmony
Ever since adding Leonard back in 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers have been a team primarily focused on defense. While they have had up-and-down seasons on that end of the floor, Lue seems to have his group bought in and committed to defending their basket.
General manager Trent Redden has done a good job of bringing in defensive-minded role players, including Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and Ben Simmons, over the course of the last year.
The result is a team that allows the fourth-fewest points per game(108.2) and is third in steals per game at 9.4. The team has great balance defensively, with James Harden being the only real weak link that teams can attack on a regular basis. Harden, however, is a veteran player with good hands and enough defensive ability to steer his opponent towards help defenders.
With the exception of the Rockets and Thunder, all of the Western Conference playoff teams are offensive-minded, presenting a challenge to Lue as he tries to compile game plans. Luckily for him, his lineup is one of the longest and deepest of any team in the postseason, something he should be able to take full advantage of.
Playoff X-Factor: Ivica Zubac
Ivica Zubac is an underrated candidate for multiple awards this season, including Most Improved Player and Defensive Player of the Year. He could even garner some support to make an All-NBA team at the end of the day. While Leonard was out with injury, Zubac was the second-best player on the Los Angeles Clippers behind Harden, helping the team remain competitive as they awaited their star’s return.
Zubac is an old-school big man and one of the most physically imposing players the league has. On the offensive end, Zubac and Harden have developed one of the smoothest two-man games in the league, with Zubac becoming an expert at driving to the rim or skying high for lobs.
While the Los Angeles Clippers have many capable perimeter defenders up and down their roster, Zubac is the only one who provides a solid defensive presence in the paint. If he puts himself into foul trouble in any game in the playoffs, the Clippers will be forced to look to Simmons to replace his value down low. For that reason, Zubac might be the key piece for the Clippers in the postseason.
First round preview: How do the Los Angeles Clippers stack up against the Denver Nuggets?
While they were tied in record, the Denver Nuggets will have home-court advantage in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers thanks to their conference record. Regardless, the Western Conference matchup has the potential to be the most competitive first-round series in the postseason, with both teams boasting superstar talent and capable supporting casts.
Limiting Nikola Jokic will be the top priority for Lue entering the series, but don’t be surprised if he throws a variety of looks at Jamal Murray as well. The Nuggets point guard tends to improve his play drastically in the playoffs, making his team that much more dangerous.
However, the Minnesota Timberwolves might have revealed the secret to limiting his impact in their matchup in the second round last year.
Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr. and Norman Powell are likely to handle the assignment of guarding Murray, while Zubac’s physicality could be enough to bother Jokic down low. New Nuggets coach David Adelman is only three games into his coaching career, so it remains unknown if he will be able to make adjustments on the fly to react to the Clippers’ strategy.
If the Los Angeles Clippers can figure out how to throw a wrench into the Nuggets’ offensive machine, they should be able to come out on top in the series.