NBA: Mid-season playoff seeding predictions for the East and West

NBA Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant (Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant (Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)
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LA Clippers
LA Clippers duo (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

3. LA Clippers

On paper, the LA Clippers should be considered a favorite to win the 2023 NBA Championship. However, at least so far this season, the Clippers haven’t been healthy or consistent enough to warrant any kind of confidence surrounding this team at the midway point of the season.

But a lot can change between now and the start of the playoffs. And I believe it will. Over the next few weeks, the Clippers will be a bit more consistent s Kawhi Leonard begins to play more and more. If they have any hope of making noise in the postseason, they’ll have to give Kawhi more and more wiggle room as he comes back from another severe injury.

The Clippers will finish as a top 3 seed in the Western Conference and the pre-season hype that surrounded this team will predictably return for the start of the playoffs. Can they come through this time around in the playoffs?