PHOENIX —
Behind a triple-double from Russell Westbrook, the Clippers clinched a playoff berth Tuesday, avoiding the NBA’s postseason play-in tournament by withstanding a furious Phoenix Suns’ rally for a 105-92 win that guaranteed them at least a top-five finish in the Western Conference standings.
None of that should come as a surprise: the Clippers have finished in the top five in the regular-season standings nine times in the last 12 seasons and it would have taken an epic collapse in the season’s final week not to do so again.
What they haven’t done is make a long playoff run, reaching the conference final just once in franchise history.