LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue (center) talks to the players during time out against New Orleans Pelicans in the second half at the Smoothie King Center. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Did Clippers tank at end of season to 'avoid' Lakers?

By Blake Harper | Last updated 5/18/21

Did the Clippers intentionally lose games to close out the season in order to avoid playing their crosstown rivals in the early rounds of the playoffs? ESPN's Brian Windhorst seems to think so.

On "SportsCenter," Windhorst noted that "teams tank at the end of the season all the time" but said that it's less common to see a playoff-bound team purposefully lose several games in order to earn a lower seed.

"What they did here is make moves to avoid the Lakers in Round 1 and Round 2," Windhorst explained.

Had the Clippers managed to grab one of the top seeds in the Western Conference, they could have faced the Lakers, who will need a win to advance out of the play-in tournament. Instead, they grabbed the fourth seed and will play the Mavericks in the opening round. According to Windhorst, ducking the Lakers may be the smart strategy, but it shows a lack of confidence that could have the players doubting if they're real contenders.

"You know, we may be sitting here in two months and say, 'Boy, what a genius move. It was good strategy for how it set up the bracket,'" Windhorst said. "But boy does it send a strange message to your team, and it certainly sends a message to the Lakers."

More must-reads: