April 15--Just as expected, the Clippers' first-round opponent and NBA playoff seeding remain up in the air.
After Tuesday's 112-101 win over the Phoenix Suns in their final game of the regular season, the Clippers (56-26) are in second place in the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of the Houston Rockets (55-26) and the San Antonio Spurs (55-26). The Rockets and the Spurs play their final games Wednesday against the Utah Jazz and the New Orleans Pelicans, respectively. The Memphis Grizzlies (54-27) are in the sixth spot, 1 1/2 games behind the Clippers. The Grizzlies also play Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers.
The Clippers have secured home-court advantage and will end up seeded either second or third.
If the Spurs and Rockets lose, then the Clippers would end up No. 2 and play the No. 7 Dallas Mavericks.
The Clippers would fall to No. 3 one of three ways: If San Antonio and Houston win, if San Antonio wins and Houston loses or if Houston wins and San Antonio loses. If the Clippers wind up third, they would face Houston, Memphis or San Antonio.
The Clippers would play San Antonio if the Spurs lose, and Houston and Memphis win. Otherwise, the Clippers would play Houston or Memphis.
The Clippers would play Houston if San Antonio and Memphis win, and Houston loses.
The Clippers would play Memphis if San Antonio and Houston win, if San Antonio wins and both Houston and Memphis lose, or if Houston wins and San Antonio and Memphis lose.
Here's a nifty little chart that @HPbasketball posted to Twitter that breaks down all the scenarios.
Regardless of who they play, Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said the first round will be a challenge.
"There's nobody that's not good in the West, so you're going to have a hard series," Rivers said Monday. "I think the team that accepts that and embraces that will do well. The team that is shocked by that will be out quickly."
