On April 12, Beijing time, when the Lakers did not qualify for the playoffs due to injuries, the Clippers, who also suffered serious injuries, won the playoff seats, which was undoubtedly quite distressing in comparison. What is more heart-wrenching is that the average win rate of the Clippers in the past 11 seasons has exceeded 50%, while the Lakers have only won more than 50% in 4 times, and there is no doubt that the overall performance of the Clippers in recent years has been better than that of the Lakers.
Los Angeles regular season results in the last 11 seasons:
Clippers: 11 consecutive seasons with a winning percentage of more than 50%, the longest record in existence
Lakers: More than 50% win rate in only 4 seasons
The Clippers, who are 8th in the West with 42-40 this season, will challenge the Timberwolves on the road in the playoffs, with the winner receiving the No. 7 seeding spot in the Western Conference playoffs. In the 4 meetings of the regular season, the Clippers are in the ascendancy with 3 wins and 1 loss, and with the return of George and Powell, even if Leonard is unlikely to return, the Clippers are also optimistic about promotion. Even if the Clippers lose to the Timberwolves, they will play against the winner between the Pelicans and Spurs for the No. 8 seed spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
It's a surprise that the Clippers have been able to still get a play-off spot this season despite a core injury, and the Clippers have won more than 50% of the seasons in a row, setting the longest existing record in the league. As for the Clippers' one-time win rate of less than 50%, it goes back to the 2010-11 season, when the Clippers finished 32-50 and ranked 13th in the West.
In contrast, the Lakers have a poor record of 33 wins and 49 losses this season, ranking 11th in the West and missing the playoffs. In the last 11 seasons, the Lakers have only won more than 50% in four seasons, namely 41 wins and 25 losses in the 2011-12 season, 45 wins and 37 losses in the 2012-13 season, 52 wins and 19 losses in the 2019-20 season, and 42 wins and 30 losses in the 2020-21 season.
It is not difficult to see that in the past 11 years, the overall performance of the Clippers is better than that of the Lakers, who have been in a bad fish belly team most seasons, and the balance of the Los Angeles championship is gradually tilting.
(Text/Drunken Floating Life)