The Los Angeles Clippers were not a part of Tuesday’s action around the NBA, but they ended up being the big winners of the night thanks to their dominant streak that they’ve been on since the beginning of December.
NBA: Clippers Now In First Place In The West
BREAKING: The Clippers are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference 🔥 pic.twitter.com/thbkLHhsip
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 7, 2024
The season started out just about as bad as it possibly could for the Clippers. They hobbled out to a 3-7 start, dropping the first six games after the acquisition of James Harden. They entered December with a record of 8-10 and in 11th place in the Western Conference, but it has been all uphill ever since.
LA has played 31 games since December 1st, and they are 26-5 over that span. By the time the calendar turned over to 2024, they had shot all the way up into 4th place, but weren’t done with their ascent. With their win over the Hawks on Monday, the Clippers moved into 3rd place, and just a half-game separated them from the idol Timberwolves and Thunder, who were tied for first.
Both of the West-leading teams were on the NBA slate for Tuesday, and the results couldn’t have been any better for the Clippers.
In the game between the Timberwolves and Bulls, Minnesota held a 23-point lead early in the 3rd quarter and looked primed to hold on to their top spot in the conference. But Chicago chipped away and was able to force overtime, where they eventually won by a six point margin. The Thunder has their evening spoiled by the Jazz, who were able to win by an 8-point margin behind 33 points from Lauri Markkanen.
Four Teams Bunched Up At The Top
Points in the 4th quarter:
23 — Timberwolves
21 — Coby WhiteHeading to OT. https://t.co/GuALxCyPYD
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 7, 2024
With both Minnesota and OKC losing, there appears to now be a four-way tie atop the Western Conference. Each of the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Nuggets currently have a record of 35-16, with just tie-breakers separating them in the standings. They technically aren’t any games back of the Clippers, but because LA has played two fewer games than the rest of the bunch, their 34-15 record gives them the best winning percentage of the four, putting them in first place.
One of the more impressive aspects of the hot streak for the Clippers has been their ability to win on the road. Their game against the Hawks on Monday was the last of a seven-game road trip that spanned twelve days, and they lost just once, a ten-point defeat against the Cavaliers, who are the hottest team in the East.
They’ll play their next three games at home before visiting the Warriors just before the NBA All-Star break.
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