| 2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Tyronn Lue | ||
| General manager | Michael Winger | ||
| Owner | Steve Ballmer | ||
| Arena | Staples Center | ||
| Results | |||
| Record | 47–25 (.653) | ||
| Place | Division: 2nd (Pacific) Conference: 4th (Western) | ||
| Playoff finish | Conference finals (lost toSuns 2–4) | ||
Stats atBasketball Reference | |||
| Local media | |||
| Television | KCOP-TV Bally Sports West[A] | ||
| Radio | KLAC | ||
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The2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 51st season of the franchise in theNational Basketball Association (NBA), their 43rd season inSouthern California, and their 37th season inLos Angeles.
On September 28, 2020, the Clippers and head coachDoc Rivers mutually agreed to part ways after seven seasons with the team.[2] On October 20, 2020, the Clippers promotedTyronn Lue as their new head coach.[3]
The Clippers made the deepest playoff run in their 51-year history. They advanced to the conference finals for the first time in franchise history after defeating theUtah Jazz in six games in the conference semifinals. Their run would come to an end against thePhoenix Suns (who were led by former Clippers starChris Paul) in the conference finals, losing in six games.
The Clippers were the first and only team to come back from down 2–0 more than once in the same season,[4] denying theDallas Mavericks and theUtah Jazz a chance at a 3–0 series lead, a deficit which no team in NBA history has ever come back from in a playoff series.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 57 | Reggie Perry | PF |  United States | Mississippi State |
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Head coach Assistant(s)
Legend
Roster |
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| Pacific Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y –Phoenix Suns | 51 | 21 | .708 | – | 27–9 | 24–12 | 7–5 | 72 |
| x –Los Angeles Clippers | 47 | 25 | .653 | 4.0 | 26–10 | 21–15 | 9–3 | 72 |
| x –Los Angeles Lakers | 42 | 30 | .583 | 9.0 | 21–15 | 21–15 | 4–8 | 72 |
| pi –Golden State Warriors | 39 | 33 | .542 | 12.0 | 25–11 | 14–22 | 5–7 | 72 |
| Sacramento Kings | 31 | 41 | .431 | 20.0 | 16–20 | 15–21 | 5–7 | 72 |
| Western Conference | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | z –Utah Jazz * | 52 | 20 | .722 | – | 72 |
| 2 | y –Phoenix Suns * | 51 | 21 | .708 | 1.0 | 72 |
| 3 | x –Denver Nuggets | 47 | 25 | .653 | 5.0 | 72 |
| 4 | x –Los Angeles Clippers | 47 | 25 | .653 | 5.0 | 72 |
| 5 | y –Dallas Mavericks * | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 72 |
| 6 | x –Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 72 |
| 7 | x –Los Angeles Lakers | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 72 |
| 8 | pi –Golden State Warriors | 39 | 33 | .542 | 13.0 | 72 |
| 9 | x –Memphis Grizzlies | 38 | 34 | .528 | 14.0 | 72 |
| 10 | pi –San Antonio Spurs | 33 | 39 | .458 | 19.0 | 72 |
| 11 | New Orleans Pelicans | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21.0 | 72 |
| 12 | Sacramento Kings | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21.0 | 72 |
| 13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 23 | 49 | .319 | 29.0 | 72 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 22 | 50 | .306 | 30.0 | 72 |
| 15 | Houston Rockets | 17 | 55 | .236 | 35.0 | 72 |
Notes
| 2020 preseason game log Total: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Preseason: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
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| 2020–21 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 playoff game log Total: 10–9 (home: 5–5; road: 5–4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 4–3 (home: 1–3; road: 3–0)
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Conference semifinals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
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Conference finals: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2)
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| 2021 playoff schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivica Zubac | 72 | 33 | 22.3 | .652 | .250 | .789 | 7.2 | 1.3 | .3 | .9 | 9.0 |
| Reggie Jackson | 67 | 43 | 23.0 | .450 | .433 | .817 | 2.9 | 3.1 | .6 | .1 | 10.7 |
| Nicolas Batum | 67 | 38 | 27.4 | .464 | .404 | .828 | 4.7 | 2.2 | 1.0 | .6 | 8.1 |
| Terance Mann | 67 | 10 | 18.9 | .509 | .418 | .830 | 3.6 | 1.6 | .4 | .2 | 7.0 |
| Luke Kennard | 63 | 17 | 19.6 | .476 | .446 | .839 | 2.6 | 1.7 | .4 | .1 | 8.3 |
| Marcus Morris Sr. | 57 | 29 | 26.4 | .473 | .473 | .820 | 4.1 | 1.0 | .6 | .3 | 13.4 |
| Paul George | 54 | 54 | 33.7 | .467 | .411 | .868 | 6.6 | 5.2 | 1.1 | .4 | 23.3 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 52 | 52 | 34.1 | .512 | .398 | .885 | 6.5 | 5.2 | 1.6 | .4 | 24.8 |
| Amir Coffey | 44 | 1 | 9.0 | .437 | .411 | .711 | 1.0 | .5 | .2 | .0 | 3.2 |
| Lou Williams† | 42 | 3 | 21.9 | .421 | .378 | .866 | 2.1 | 3.4 | .9 | .1 | 12.1 |
| Serge Ibaka | 41 | 39 | 23.3 | .510 | .339 | .811 | 6.7 | 1.8 | .2 | 1.1 | 11.1 |
| Patrick Patterson | 38 | 5 | 15.3 | .436 | .357 | .765 | 2.0 | .8 | .4 | .2 | 5.2 |
| Patrick Beverley | 37 | 34 | 22.5 | .423 | .397 | .800 | 3.2 | 2.1 | .8 | .8 | 7.5 |
| Daniel Oturu | 30 | 0 | 5.4 | .423 | .200 | .750 | 1.6 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 1.8 |
| Mfiondu Kabengele† | 23 | 0 | 4.1 | .281 | .222 | .833 | .6 | .2 | .1 | .1 | 1.2 |
| Rajon Rondo† | 18 | 1 | 20.4 | .486 | .432 | 1.000 | 3.1 | 5.8 | 1.0 | .1 | 7.6 |
| DeMarcus Cousins† | 16 | 0 | 12.9 | .537 | .421 | .682 | 4.5 | 1.0 | .8 | .4 | 7.8 |
| Yogi Ferrell† | 8 | 0 | 12.0 | .333 | .316 | 1.000 | 1.5 | 2.1 | .5 | .3 | 4.6 |
| Jay Scrubb | 4 | 1 | 21.0 | .389 | .222 | 1.000 | 3.5 | .3 | 1.0 | .0 | 8.8 |
| Malik Fitts | 3 | 0 | 3.7 | .333 | .500 | 1.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul George | 19 | 19 | 40.8 | .441 | .336 | .844 | 9.6 | 5.4 | 1.0 | .5 | 26.9 |
| Marcus Morris Sr. | 19 | 18 | 31.8 | .430 | .375 | .750 | 4.3 | 1.5 | .5 | .5 | 12.2 |
| Reggie Jackson | 19 | 17 | 32.7 | .484 | .408 | .878 | 3.2 | 3.4 | .9 | .2 | 17.8 |
| Nicolas Batum | 19 | 10 | 29.2 | .486 | .389 | .826 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.3 | .5 | 8.1 |
| Terance Mann | 19 | 6 | 19.9 | .519 | .432 | .714 | 2.7 | .7 | .5 | .3 | 7.6 |
| Patrick Beverley | 17 | 7 | 19.0 | .426 | .351 | .857 | 2.4 | 1.4 | .7 | .7 | 4.9 |
| Ivica Zubac | 17 | 7 | 17.7 | .596 | .796 | 5.8 | .4 | .1 | .7 | 6.3 | |
| Luke Kennard | 15 | 0 | 14.6 | .477 | .412 | .500 | .9 | .5 | .1 | .0 | 5.6 |
| Rajon Rondo | 13 | 0 | 16.9 | .340 | .393 | .667 | 2.6 | 3.8 | .4 | .2 | 4.2 |
| Kawhi Leonard | 11 | 11 | 39.3 | .573 | .393 | .880 | 7.7 | 4.4 | 2.1 | .8 | 30.4 |
| Amir Coffey | 10 | 0 | 1.6 | .750 | 1.000 | .000 | .2 | .1 | .1 | .0 | .7 |
| Yogi Ferrell | 9 | 0 | 1.7 | .400 | .000 | .3 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .4 | |
| Daniel Oturu | 8 | 0 | 1.9 | .400 | .000 | .500 | .5 | .0 | .0 | .1 | .6 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 7 | 0 | 8.3 | .452 | .400 | .786 | 2.0 | .7 | .3 | .4 | 7.6 |
| Jay Scrubb | 6 | 0 | 1.3 | .2 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | |||
| Serge Ibaka | 2 | 0 | 9.0 | .500 | .000 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .5 | 1.5 | 5.0 |
| November 19, 2020[7] | ToLos Angeles Clippers Luke Kennard (from Detroit) Justin Patton (from Detroit) Draft rights toJay Scrubb (#55) (from Brooklyn) 2023 POR second-round pick (from Detroit) 2024 DET second-round pick (from Detroit) 2025 DET second-round pick (from Detroit) 2026 DET second-round pick (from Detroit) | ToDetroit Pistons Džanan Musa (from Brooklyn) Rodney McGruder (from LA Clippers) Draft rights toSaddiq Bey (#19) (from Brooklyn) Draft rights toJaylen Hands (2019 #57) (from Brooklyn) 2021 TOR second-round pick (from Brooklyn) Cash considerations (from LA Clippers) |
| ToBrooklyn Nets Landry Shamet (from LA Clippers) Bruce Brown (from Detroit) | ||
| November 19, 2020[8] | ToLos Angeles Clippers Draft rights toDaniel Oturu (#33) | ToOklahoma City Thunder Draft rights toMathias Lessort (2017 #50) 2023 DET second-round pick |
| March 19, 2021 | ToLos Angeles Clippers 2022 SAC second-round draft pick | ToSacramento Kings Mfiondu Kabengele 2022 ATL second-round draft pick Cash considerations |
| March 25, 2021 | ToLos Angeles Clippers Rajon Rondo | ToAtlanta Hawks Lou Williams 2023 POR second-round draft pick 2027 LAC second-round draft pick Cash considerations |
| Player | Signed |
|---|---|
| Marcus Morris[9] | November 25, 2020 |
| Patrick Patterson[10] | November 25, 2020 |
| Reggie Jackson | December 1, 2020 |
| Player | Signed | Former team |
|---|---|---|
| Serge Ibaka | November 25, 2020 | Toronto Raptors |
| Nicolas Batum | December 1, 2020 | Charlotte Hornets |
| DeMarcus Cousins | April 5, 2021 (10-day contract) April 15, 2021 (2nd 10-day contract) April 25, 2021 (signed for the rest of the season) | Houston Rockets |
| Malik Fitts | April 9, 2021 (10-day contract) | Agua Caliente Clippers |
| Yogi Ferrell | April 19, 2021 (10-day contract) April 29, 2021 (signed for the rest of the season) | Salt Lake City Stars |
| Player | Reason left | New team |
|---|---|---|
| JaMychal Green[11] | Free agency | Denver Nuggets |
| Montrezl Harrell[12] | Free agency | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Justin Patton | Waived | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Johnathan Motley[13] | Free agency | Phoenix Suns |
| Joakim Noah | Waived | Retired |
| Malik Fitts | Contract Expired | Utah Jazz |
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| G League affiliate | |
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| Culture and lore | |
