Clippers 2023-24 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The objective remains the same for the Los Angeles Clippers as they enter the fifth season with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George at the fore.

Last year was emblematic of the franchise's current era. Leonard and George both missed prolonged stretches due to injuries, and by the end, both were out of action as the Clippers' campaign came to an end in the first round of the playoffs.

As a result, the expectations surrounding Los Angeles are probably as low as they've ever been when Leonard and George both project to be available on opening night. Nobody questions the Clippers' ceiling, but too many people have gotten burned after proclaiming them to be championship favorites in the past.

The front office largely maintained the status quo with the roster as well, furthering the notion 2023-24 could be more of the same.

Russell Westbrook returned after he shifted to the red and blue portion of Crypto.com Arena and enjoyed a strong second half. Acquiring Kenyon Martin Jr. could fly under the radar a bit since he was a solid role player for the Houston Rockets.

But everything hinges on the health of Leonard and George, and that's a bet that has yet to fully pay off for the organization.

Here's a look at L.A.'s schedule and a brief preview for the season ahead.

2023-24 Clippers Schedule Details

Season Opener: vs. Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 25 at 9:30 p.m. ET

Full Schedule: The full schedule is available on NBA.com

Top Matchups

Phoenix Suns

The Clippers didn't stand any chance of taking down the Phoenix Suns once Leonard was sidelined with a torn meniscus. The gap between the two may not have closed much after Phoenix leaned even harder into its short-term quest for a title.

The Suns simultaneously raised their ceiling and lowered their floor by trading away Chris Paul and acquiring Bradley Beal.

The trio of Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker has the potential to be an offensive juggernaut and a defensive sieve. In addition, the three combined to miss 96 games in 2022-23.

Beyond adding Beal, Phoenix's front office made the most of the minimum contracts it had to hand out. Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop and Drew Eubanks can all play meaningful roles in the rotation.

Nobody will be surprised if the Suns are the last team standing next summer. At the same time, watching the house of cards come tumbling down is equally foreseeable.

Los Angeles Lakers

After they won the 2020 NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers finished below their L.A. rivals for three straight years. That streak might be coming to an end.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka wisely prioritized continuity over yet again overhauling the roster to accommodate another star. Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell are all back on reasonable deals.

Los Angeles' free-agent arrivals addressed the team's needs without breaking the bank too. Gabe Vincent is the exact kind of two-way guard who fits alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Jaxson Hayes should provide some rim protection. Even Cam Reddish is a low-risk signing who still at 23 might have some upside.

The Lakers are probably an injury to James or a slow start away from going into panic mode. But they look to have a stronger squad than the Clippers heading into the season.

Season Forecast

When Leonard and George were on the floor together, the Clippers had an 8.9 net rating, per NBA.com. As a means of comparison, the Boston Celtics finished with the highest net rating in the league, and they came in below that number (6.7).

It's too simplistic to point to that and argue Los Angeles was the best team in the NBA with its two stars available. But that claim may not be far from the truth.

If Leonard and George were to each make 70-plus appearances, then the Clippers could seriously challenge for the top seed in the Western Conference. Of course, getting to 60 games would be a bit of an achievement since neither has hit that mark since coming to the West Coast.

Along with the fact Kawhi and PG are likely to miss time due to minor injuries and load management, many of the contenders around the Clippers have gotten better or at the very least failed to get dramatically worse.

Further down the conference, the Houston Rockets and San Antonio made noticeable improvements and won't be the same kind of pushovers they were in 2022-23.

Contenders such as the Clippers can't as easily bank those wins. Los Angeles went 8-0 against the pair, and repeating that feat won't be easy. Every victory counts when two games separated fourth from seventh in the West last season.

A top-six finish is the bar for L.A. Beyond that it's anybody's guess.

Record Prediction: 43-39

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