List of Los Angeles Clippers seasons
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and are a member of the NBA Western Conference's Pacific Division. The Clippers were founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves. They were one of three franchises that joined the NBA as an expansion team in the 1970–71 season. The Braves moved to San Diego, California after the 1977–78 season, and became known as the San Diego Clippers.[1] For the 1984–85 NBA season, the Clippers moved north to Los Angeles and became known as the Los Angeles Clippers.
On October 14, 1970, the Braves beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107–92 in their first game.[1] In the 1972 NBA Draft, the Braves selected Bob McAdoo,[2] who later won such awards as Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player.[3] During McAdoo's years (1972–76) with the franchise,[4] the Braves reached the post-season three times and had a record of nine wins and 13 losses during that time.
Overall, the Clippers have qualified for the post-season sixteen times; most recently in the 2020–21 season. They passed the first round of the playoffs five times (1975–76, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2019–20 and 2020–21). The Clippers have never won league or Conference titles. Their 51-year drought between entering Western Conference Finals (before doing so in 2020–21) is one of the longest in league history and the 30-year drought between winning a playoffs round (before doing so in 2005–06) is the longest in league history.[5] They also have only sixteen seasons with a winning percentage of .500 or better, and as a result, in their April 17, 2000 issue, the Sports Illustrated had three Clippers fans on the cover that stated "The worst franchise in sports history".[6] However, with the additions of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, they made steady progress as a title contender in recent years. They won their first division title in the 2012–13 season, their 43rd year in the league, and repeated the following year.[7] Chris Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets for eight players and a 2018 draft pick, after the 2017 season.
Table key
Finish | Final position in league or division standings |
GB | Games behind first-place team in division[lower-alpha 1] |
L | Number of regular season losses |
AMVP | All-Star Game Most Valuable Player |
EOY | Executive of the Year |
MVP | Most Valuable Player |
ROY | Rookie of the Year |
MIP | Most Improved Player |
SPOR | Sportsmanship Award |
W | Number of regular season wins |
Seasons
Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the 2020–21 season.
League champions | Conference champions | Division champions | Playoff berth |
Season | Team | League | Conference | Finish | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo Braves | |||||||||||||||
1970–71 | 1970–71 | NBA | Eastern | 7th | Atlantic | 4th | 22 | 60 | .268 | 30 | — | ||||
1971–72 | 1971–72 | NBA | Eastern | 8th | Atlantic | 4th | 22 | 60 | .268 | 34 | — | ||||
1972–73 | 1972–73 | NBA | Eastern | 7th | Atlantic | 3rd | 21 | 61 | .256 | 47 | Bob McAdoo (ROY) | ||||
1973–74 | 1973–74 | NBA | Eastern | 4th | Atlantic | 3rd | 42 | 40 | .512 | 14 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Celtics) 4–2[9] | Ernie DiGregorio (ROY) Eddie Donovan (EOY) |
|||
1974–75 | 1974–75 | NBA | Eastern | 3rd | Atlantic | 2nd | 49 | 33 | .598 | 11 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Bullets) 4–3[10] | Bob McAdoo (MVP) | |||
1975–76 | 1975–76 | NBA | Eastern | 5th | Atlantic | 2nd | 46 | 36 | .561 | 8 | Won First Round (76ers) 2–1 Lost Conference Semifinals (Celtics) 4–2[11] |
— | |||
1976–77 | 1976–77 | NBA | Eastern | 10th | Atlantic | 4th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 20 | Adrian Dantley (ROY) | ||||
1977–78 | 1977–78 | NBA | Eastern | 10th | Atlantic | 4th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 28 | Randy Smith (AMVP) | ||||
San Diego Clippers | |||||||||||||||
1978–79 | 1978–79[lower-alpha 2] | NBA | Western | 7th | Pacific | 5th | 43 | 39 | .524 | 9 | — | ||||
1979–80 | 1979–80 | NBA | Western | 7th | Pacific | 5th | 35 | 47 | .427 | 25 | — | ||||
1980–81 | 1980–81 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 5th | 36 | 46 | .439 | 21 | — | ||||
1981–82 | 1981–82 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 6th | 17 | 65 | .207 | 40 | — | ||||
1982–83 | 1982–83 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 6th | 25 | 57 | .305 | 33 | Terry Cummings (ROY) | ||||
1983–84 | 1983–84 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 6th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24 | — | ||||
Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||||
1984–85 | 1984–85[lower-alpha 3] | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 4th | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 | — | ||||
1985–86 | 1985–86 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 3rd | 32 | 50 | .390 | 30 | — | ||||
1986–87 | 1986–87 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 6th | 12 | 70 | .146 | 53 | — | ||||
1987–88 | 1987–88 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 6th | 17 | 65 | .207 | 45 | — | ||||
1988–89 | 1988–89 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 7th | 21 | 61 | .256 | 36 | — | ||||
1989–90 | 1989–90 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 6th | 30 | 52 | .366 | 33 | — | ||||
1990–91 | 1990–91 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 6th | 31 | 51 | .378 | 32 | — | ||||
1991–92 | 1991–92 | NBA | Western | 7th | Pacific | 5th | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12 | Lost First Round (Jazz) 3–2[12] | — | |||
1992–93 | 1992–93 | NBA | Western | 7th | Pacific | 4th | 41 | 41 | .500 | 21 | Lost First Round (Rockets) 3–2[13] | — | |||
1993–94 | 1993–94 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 7th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 36 | — | ||||
1994–95 | 1994–95 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 7th | 17 | 65 | .207 | 42 | — | ||||
1995–96 | 1995–96 | NBA | Western | 11th | Pacific | 7th | 29 | 53 | .354 | 35 | — | ||||
1996–97 | 1996–97 | NBA | Western | 8th | Pacific | 5th | 36 | 46 | .439 | 21 | Lost First Round (Jazz) 3–0[14] | — | |||
1997–98 | 1997–98 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 7th | 17 | 65 | .207 | 44 | — | ||||
1998–99[lower-alpha 4] | 1998–99 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 7th | 9 | 41 | .180 | 26 | — | ||||
1999–00 | 1999–2000 | NBA | Western | 14th | Pacific | 7th | 15 | 67 | .183 | 52 | — | ||||
2000–01 | 2000–01 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 6th | 31 | 51 | .378 | 25 | — | ||||
2001–02 | 2001–02 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 5th | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | — | ||||
2002–03 | 2002–03 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 7th | 27 | 55 | .329 | 32 | — | ||||
2003–04 | 2003–04 | NBA | Western | 14th | Pacific | 7th | 28 | 54 | .341 | 28 | — | ||||
2004–05 | 2004–05 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 3rd | 37 | 45 | .451 | 25 | Bobby Simmons (MIP) | ||||
2005–06 | 2005–06 | NBA | Western | 6th | Pacific | 2nd | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7 | Won First Round (Nuggets) 4–1 Lost Conference Semifinals (Suns) 4–3[16] |
Elgin Baylor (EOY) Elton Brand (SPOR) |
|||
2006–07 | 2006–07 | NBA | Western | 9th | Pacific | 4th | 40 | 42 | .488 | 21 | — | ||||
2007–08 | 2007–08 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 5th | 23 | 59 | .280 | 34 | — | ||||
2008–09 | 2008–09 | NBA | Western | 14th | Pacific | 4th | 19 | 63 | .232 | 46 | — | ||||
2009–10 | 2009–10 | NBA | Western | 12th | Pacific | 3rd | 29 | 53 | .354 | 28 | — | ||||
2010–11 | 2010–11 | NBA | Western | 13th | Pacific | 4th | 32 | 50 | .390 | 25 | Blake Griffin (ROY) | ||||
2011–12[lower-alpha 5] | 2011–12 | NBA | Western | 5th | Pacific | 2nd | 40 | 26 | .606 | 1 | Won First Round (Grizzlies) 4–3 Lost Conference Semifinals (Spurs) 4–0 |
— | |||
2012–13 | 2012–13 | NBA | Western | 4th | Pacific | 1st | 56 | 26 | .683 | – | Lost First Round (Grizzlies) 4–2 | Chris Paul (AMVP) | |||
2013–14 | 2013–14 | NBA | Western | 3rd | Pacific | 1st | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | Won First Round (Warriors) 4–3 Lost Conference Semifinals (Thunder) 4–2 |
Jamal Crawford (SMOY) | |||
2014–15 | 2014–15 | NBA | Western | 3rd | Pacific | 2nd | 56 | 26 | .683 | 11 | Won First Round (Spurs) 4–3 Lost Conference Semifinals (Rockets) 4–3 |
— | |||
2015–16 | 2015–16 | NBA | Western | 4th | Pacific | 2nd | 53 | 29 | .646 | 20 | Lost First Round (Trail Blazers) 4–2 | Jamal Crawford (SMOY) | |||
2016–17 | 2016–17 | NBA | Western | 4th | Pacific | 2nd | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 | Lost First Round (Jazz) 4–3 | ||||
2017–18 | 2017–18 | NBA | Western | 10th | Pacific | 2nd | 42 | 40 | .512 | 16 | Lou Williams (SMOY) | ||||
2018–19 | 2018-19 | NBA | Western | 8th | Pacific | 2nd | 48 | 34 | .585 | 9 | Lost First Round (Warriors) 4–2 | Lou Williams (SMOY) | |||
2019–20 | 2019–20 | NBA | Western | 2nd | Pacific | 2nd | 49 | 23 | .681 | 3.5 | Won First Round (Mavericks) 4–2 Lost Conference Semifinals (Nuggets) 4–3 |
Montrezl Harrell (SMOY) Kawhi Leonard (AMVP) |
|||
2020–21 | 2020–21 | NBA | Western | 4th | Pacific | 2nd | 47 | 25 | .653 | 4 | Won First Round (Mavericks) 4–3 Won Conference Semifinals (Jazz) 4–2 Lost Conference Finals (Suns) 4–2 |
All-time records
Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the 2020–21 season.
Statistic | Wins | Losses | W–L% |
---|---|---|---|
Buffalo Braves regular season record (1970–1978) | 259 | 397 | .395 |
San Diego Clippers regular season record (1978–1984) | 186 | 306 | .378 |
Los Angeles Clippers regular season record (1984–present) | 1,261 | 1,705 | .425 |
All-time regular season record | 1,706 | 2,408 | .415 |
Buffalo Braves post-season record (1970–1978) | 9 | 13 | .409 |
San Diego Clippers post-season record (1978–1984) | 0 | 0 | — |
Los Angeles Clippers post-season record (1984–present) | 53 | 62 | .461 |
All-time post-season record | 62 | 75 | .453 |
All-time regular and post-season record | 1,768 | 2,424 | .416 |
Notes
- ↑ The formula is:
- ↑ The team relocated to San Diego, California.
- ↑ The team relocated to Los Angeles, California.
- ↑ Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999, and all 29 teams played a shortened 50 game regular season schedule.[15]
- ↑ Due to a lockout, the season did not start until December 25, 2011 and all 30 teams played a shortened 66 game regular season schedule.[17]
References
- General
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- Specific
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