LOS ANGELES - April marks an exciting time for basketball fans.
Soon, champions will be crowned in college hoops and the NBA playoffs begin. Also next month, as the NBA playoffs heat up in the semi and conference finals, the WNBA season starts.
With roughly five games left in the NBA regular season, here’s where the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers currently stand.
Final games remain in NBA regular season
What we know:
The Clippers and Lakers have experienced plenty of twists and turns during the season, especially after the NBA All-Star break.
Both teams dealt with injuries to star players and made moves ahead of the February trade deadline, attempting to strengthen their rosters.
Luka Dončić has settled in nicely with the Men in Purple and Gold, while Bogdan Bogdanović has gotten out of his shooting slump, regaining confidence and finding his groove with the Clippers.
So far, it seems the Doncic and LeBron James experiment is working, and they’ve put the league on notice.
As of Thursday, the Lakers are ranked third in the Western Conference.
While the Clippers are currently ranked seventh in the West, which puts them in the play-in tournament, a team with a healthy Kawhi Leonard cannot be counted out. Not only that, but James Harden is also averaging 22.5 points and 8.6 assists per game this season, proving he has plenty left in the tank and is still in his prime.
Clippers’ center Ivica Zubac has been dominant and has a strong case for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, while Norman Powell, at age 31, has unlocked a magnificent level of play.
With a new arena, the Clippers are thriving and could be the league’s Cinderella story once the playoffs begin.
SUGGESTED COVERAGE:
Too close to call
What's next:
Standings are close in the West and every game counts.
The Lakers face the Golden State Warriors Thursday night and have seven games left in the regular season, including two games against the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder.
As for the Clippers, they have six games remaining on their schedule, including a showdown against the Warriors for their regular season finale. Right now, they are in a three-way tie with Minnesota and Memphis.
Here’s a look at where the top 10 teams in the West stand ahead of Thursday’s games.
Oklahoma City: 64-12
Houston: 50-27
LA Lakers: 46-29
Denver: 47-30
Golden State: 44-31
Minnesota: 44-32
LA Clippers: 44-32
Memphis: 44-32
Dallas: 38-39
Sacramento: 36-40
NBA playoff pictures as of Thursday, April 3. (NBA.com)
If the playoffs were to begin today, here’s what the Western Conference matchups would look like:
(1)Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Play-In Winner
(2)Houston Rockers vs. (7) Play-In Winner
(3)Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6)Memphis Grizzlies
(4)Denver Nuggets vs. (5)Golden State Warriors
The Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans have been eliminated from postseason contention.
The Source: Information provided by the National Basketball Association.
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