The LA Clippers wrapped up their two-game homestand on Wednesday with a comfortable win over the Toronto Raptors, extending their streak to three straight victories. It was a one-sided contest from the start, as the Clippers cruised to a 119-94 win in a game that featured just three lead changes and two ties.
As expected, the Clippers’ key players delivered. Kawhi Leonard led the way, finishing as the game’s top scorer with 27 points on 9-19 shooting. Darius Garland also played a strong role, putting up 24 points while adding four rebounds and six assists in a stat sheet stuffing performance.
Brook Lopez made his presence felt as well, especially on defense. He recorded five blocks and served as the backbone of the Clippers’ defensive effort throughout the game.
From the bench, Benedict Mathurin provided a spark for the team’s second unit, scoring 23 points in just 27 minutes. Isaiah Jackson was also efficient, contributing 12 points without missing a shot.
While the Clippers were impressive, the Raptors struggled to find their rhythm. The All-Star duo of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, who were expected to carry the load, combined for only 27 points on 12-29 shooting. RJ Barrett, the team’s third option, also had a tough outing, finishing with 12 points while shooting just 26.3% from the field.
LA Clippers playoffs picture: Updated Standings
Wednesday’s win at the Intuit Dome improves the LA Clippers to 37-36, placing them in 8th place in the Western Conference standings. They’ve already secured a spot in the play-in tournament, but there’s still a slim chance they could climb high enough to earn a direct playoff berth.
Right now, they sit 6.5 games behind the 6th-seeded Houston Rockets, so that path is a tough one. More realistically, the Clippers are in a battle to improve their play-in position. They’re 3.5 games behind the 7th-place Phoenix Suns and hold a 0.5-game cushion over the 9th-place Portland Trail Blazers.
LA Clippers playoffs picture: Remaining Schedule
The LA Clippers are in a pretty favorable spot heading into the final stretch of the season. They have the fourth-easiest remaining schedule in the Western Conference, with their upcoming opponents boasting an average win rate of just 46.8%.
Looking at the matchups, only the San Antonio Spurs and OKC Thunder have better records than the Clippers. The rest of their opponents include the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers twice, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, and Golden State Warriors, all of whom currently have worse records. On paper, that puts the Clippers in a strong position in most of these games.
If they take care of business and win those seven games while dropping the two tougher ones, they would potentially wrap up the regular season at 44-38.
Read More: Atlanta Hawks NBA Playoff Picture: Updated Standings, Best Case Scenario After OT Win vs Pistons
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