There's another sign that the stars could be aligning for the LA Clippers to make a deep run in the postseason.
A little more than a month before the start of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the LA Clippers are pretty locked into the 4th seed of the Western Conference standings. Short of a complete collapse by them or another team sitting in the top 3, it appears that the Clippers are going to enter the playoffs in that spot.
With how the West standings are, the 4th seed isn't that bad of a spot to be in for the Clippers. If the season ended today, the Clippers would play the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round and then likely the No. 1 seed Minnesota Timberwolves in the semifinals. All in all, the Clippers would be able to find a path to the conference finals in which they would be able to avoid the Denver Nuggets until then. If that ends up being the path, that'd be a huge win in LA's favor.
A few days ago, however, the Clippers' championship chances took a major hit as Russell Westbrook fractured his hand. Monday night, that vibes changed a bit. Even though the Clippers dropped a game to the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks, they did get some good news on the injury front.
Can the LA Clippers get to the playoffs healthy?
After undergoing surgery to hand surgery, the belief is that Westbrook should be back in the Clippers' lineup before the start of the playoffs. All in all, that's great news for a team that doesn't have a ton of rotation-worthy depth on its roster.
Looking at the stat sheet, Westbrook doesn't put up huge numbers off the bench. However, he has played a key role this season in many other ways. For as polarizing of a player as he is on the court, the leadership and experience he brings to the bench and to the locker room can't be overstated.
If Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden can survive the next few weeks on the injury front, the Clippers are going to enter the playoffs as healthy as they've been in a very long time. In fact, the last time the Clippers entered the playoffs (during the 2021 playoffs) was relatively healthy, they made it to the conference finals. They lost to the Phoenix Suns in large part due to an injury to Kawhi that kept him out of the WCF.
In short, if the Clippers are healthy entering the playoffs, they're going to have as good of a shot as any other team to come out of the West. Little by little, the stars continue to align for a deep Clippers run.