National Basketball Association

Into the Home Stretch

Updated Jul. 17, 2020 3:16 p.m. ET

There are roughly 20 games left in the NBA season. It's go time.

And the Los Angeles Clippers are getting going.

The Clippers are coming. We can't say they're here quite yet, because with their talent, 'here' would mean they've won a championship.

But as they traverse arguably their toughest stretch of the season, they have won their last five games, and maybe the two most important games of the season are on the horizon.

And if they win those – if they win those – it's time to dub them the favorites to come out of the Western Conference and challenge for the NBA title.

Nick is right. Even he'll have to get onboard.

Tuesday night's win over Oklahoma City was an impressive one. The Thunder – currently sitting at 6th in the West – had won five of their last six, their only defeat coming at Milwaukee on Friday.

However, the Clippers made it look easy.

LAC led by 11 after the first quarter, by 12 at halftime, and by 19 going into the fourth.

It was a beatdown and the perfect precursor to tilts with their two fiercest Western rivals.

Houston has had success against the Clippers this season, but there have been a few caveats alive in their three matchups.

In the first game – a Houston win – Paul George didn't suit up. In the second game – a Clippers win – Russell Westbrook didn't suit up.

All the stars played in the third matchup, in what was a second win for Houston.

The Clippers will need to beat the Rockets on Thursday to even the season series, but on Sunday, the Lakers will be the team looking to make up ground.

True, Nick.

What's also true is that in the two LAL-LAC battles so far this season, Anthony Davis hasn't necessarily been slowed down...but he hasn't sped himself up either.

Presumably, if the two teams meet in the playoffs, AD will need to be better in order for the Lakers to beat the Clippers.

In those two games against the Clippers, LeBron James is averaging 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists. He's shooting 37.2 percent from the field and 17.6 percent from three.

That version of LeBron James is not beating the Clippers by his lonesome.