3 Western Conference first-round matchups we need in the NBA Playoffs

Western Conference NBA Playoff matchups — Los Angeles Lakers versus LA Clippers

The LA Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers seemed destined to meet in the NBA’s Western Conference Finals last season, but the aforementioned Nuggets ultimately prevented that. This time around, it seems feasible to believe that a meeting between these two teams will come to fruition, and it could come far sooner than anyone might have predicted.

With their star-studded duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George at the helm, the Clippers currently own the third spot in the conference with a 37-18 record. This team is looking to rebound from an ugly playoff collapse last year, and they are undoubtedly in a good position to do so. The additions of Serge Ibaka and Rajon Rondo have fortified the team’s rotation even further, and they are quietly in the conversation among teams making a run at the NBA Finals.

Meanwhile, the reigning champion Lakers have slipped in the standings after being hit with the injury bug. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have both been sidelined for weeks with individual injuries, and Los Angeles has fallen to fifth in the standings because of it. With a 33-21 record, the Lakers are just a game and a half ahead of the Blazers and could easily fall to that sixth spot during this final stretch.

If that were to happen and the Clippers could stand their ground in the third slot, a postseason meeting between these two teams would finally become a reality. With James and Davis on track to be healthy by then, the battle of Los Angeles would undoubtedly be a box office first-round matchup.