The 1985 Playoff Run vs. the Lakers
The oldest franchise in North American professional sports to have never played in a championship game.
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, beginning with the 2024–25 NBA season. Previously, the Clippers played their home games at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles from 1999 to 2024, which they had shared with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). They are frequently referred to by their fans as "the Clips" or "LAC".
Quick Facts
- Series result
- Lakers defeated Clippers 3-0
- Year
- 1985
- Key player
- Magic Johnson (Lakers) vs. Marques Johnson (Clippers)
- Location
- The Forum, Inglewood, CA
- Significance
- First playoff appearance for the Clippers since relocating to Los Angeles
- Opponent record
- Lakers were 62-20 in the regular season
Lore & Background
The franchise was founded as the Buffalo Braves in 1970 as an expansion team. Led by Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo, the Braves reached the NBA playoffs three times during their eight seasons in Buffalo. Conflicts with the Canisius Golden Griffins over Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and the sale of the franchise led to their relocation from Buffalo to San Diego, California, in 1978 and subsequent rebranding as the San Diego Clippers. The team saw little success on the court and missed the playoffs during all six of their years in San Diego. In 1984, owner Donald Sterling controversially relocated the franchise to Los Angeles without NBA approval, which was permitted following legal action between the league and Sterling. Over the course of their first 27 seasons in Los Angeles, the Clippers qualified for the postseason only four times and won a single playoff round. As a result, they have been frequently described as a perennial loser in American professional sports, drawing unfavorable comparisons to the historically successful Lakers.
Reader's Guide
The Clippers' reputation improved during the 2010s, which saw them transform into consistent postseason contenders. Aided by the Lob City lineup of Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul, the team qualified for the playoffs in six consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2017 and won two consecutive division titles in 2013 and 2014, both firsts for the franchise. Despite this success, the Clippers struggled in the postseason and were frequently eliminated in the Conference Semifinals; the team reached the conference finals for the first time in 2021. To date, they are the oldest franchise in North American professional sports to have never played in a championship game.
Did You Know?
- Bob McAdoo led the Braves to three playoff appearances and won the NBA MVP in 1974–75.
- The team moved to San Diego in 1978 and was renamed the Clippers after sailing ships in San Diego Bay.
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