If there were three or four basketballs on a court, the Los Angeles Clippers would be NBA title favorites.
But there’s one ball to go around and there’s four ball-dominant scorers on a team lacking size.
With an 0-5 record since James Harden debuted, the Clippers are now looking at a scary proposition this season.
A loaded Western Conference awaits them and not all of them can make postseason play.
They are still +134 to miss the playoffs despite a 3-7 record and a disastrous start to the Harden Era.
A bet on the Clippers to miss the playoffs would win if they are eliminated during the play-in tournament. The play-in is not considered the playoffs because any playoff team must be one of the final eight remaining teams in the conference.
The Clippers have been a disaster offensively since acquiring Harden, ranking 25th in offensive efficiency and ranking in the bottom 10 in 3-point field goal percentage (34.4 percent).
It’s still early in the season, but contenders are already beginning to separate themselves.
Below are the current updated standings.
| 1. Nuggets (9-2) |
| 2. Mavericks (9-3) |
| 3. Timberwolves (8-3) |
| 4. Rockets (6-3) |
| 5. Thunder (7-4) |
| 6. Kings (6-4) |
| 7. Warriors (6-6) |
| 8. Lakers (6-6) |
| 9. Suns (5-6) |
| 10. Pelicans (5-6) |
| 11. Jazz (4-7) |
| 12. Clippers (3-7) |
To be fair, the Rockets and Thunder are almost certainly due for some regression. The two teams are filled with young players, ranking fifth and sixth best in net rating.
After being a historically bad defense in 2022, Houston coach Ime Udoka has whipped the group into shape, forcing teams to shoot a league-lowest 32.2 percent from 3-point land.
If only one of those two teams are legitimate contenders, a top eight in the west must include the Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers.
| 2023-24 Clippers odds |
|---|
| To win the NBA Finals: 20/1 (BetRivers) |
| To win the Western Conference: +1200 (Caesars) |
| To reach the playoffs: No (+143) | Yes (-172) (FanDuel) |
| Over/Under win total: Over 43.5 (-104) Under 43.5 (-118) (FanDuel) |
After all, only eight teams can get in and the Clippers are falling behind quickly.
In the near future, they are set to play the Spurs twice and the Rockets once. So perhaps it’s wise to wait for those three games to pass, assuming they win at least two.
The odds might increase just a bit.
But after that, the Clippers are staring at an abyss of games against the Pelicans, Mavericks, Nuggets, Kings and Warriors twice.
The eighth seed will need to win roughly 45 or 46 games to make a playoff spot, and the Clippers’ remaining schedule is the ninth-hardest in all of basketball.
The Pick: Clippers miss the playoffs +134 (FanDuel Sportsbook)