Clippers 2020-21 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

The Los Angeles Clippers hired Tyronn Lue to replace Doc Rivers as their new head coach, but the team's championship expectations will remain in place heading into the 2020-21 NBA season.

L.A.'s exit from the playoffs was more about the manner than the result. It held a 3-1 series lead over the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals before losing three straight games to get eliminated, and Rivers left the organization a short time later as part of a "mutual decision."

The Clippers' core from last season, led by Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley, remains in place, and the team should remain a top contender in the West despite the coaching change. They also added Serge Ibaka in free agency to help replace the departed Montrezl Harrell.

Let's check out all of the important information for Los Angeles' upcoming campaign after the NBA's first-half schedule release on Friday. That's followed by a look at the most intriguing games and a record prediction.

2020-21 Clippers Schedule Details

Season Opener: 

Championship Odds: +650 (via FanDuel Sportsbook)

First-Half Schedule: NBA.com

Top Matchups

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are the team to beat not only in the West but in the NBA as a whole, and that makes the Staples Center rivalry the unquestioned biggest matchup to watch for the Clips.

They split four head-to-head meetings during the 2019-20 regular season, but the long-awaited clash in the Western Conference Finals never materialized because of the Clippers' shocking exit. The Lakers proceeded to rout the Nuggets en route to the NBA Finals.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis now represent the measuring stick for any superstar duo in the league, whether it's Leonard and George, the Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, or any of the other standout combos.

A couple statement games during the regular season could help bolster the Clippers' confidence heading into the playoffs, where a meeting with the Lakers will likely loom again if they want to make the Finals.

Philadelphia 76ers

Rivers landed with the Sixers shortly after his departure from L.A. Philadelphia is a team in a similar position, accumulating talent led by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid but having been unable to get over the hump in the playoffs to seriously chase a title.

It creates a dual-storyline matchup with the Clippers. Not only facing off with their former coach, but meeting with an opponent that's following a similar path to see which one is farther ahead in a crowded group of second-tier championship hopefuls.

The teams split two meetings last season, with both winning at home. The cumulative score was 240-239 in favor of Philadelphia, showcasing how closely matched the teams were, and there shouldn't be a significant difference this time around.

Who knows, if everything falls into place perfectly, the teams could meet again in the NBA Finals.

Season Forecast

The Clippers' playoff disappointment overshadowed an otherwise strong first season of the Leonard-George era. They finished second in the West with a 49-23 record and tied for second in the NBA with an average point differential of plus-6.4.

That said, the postseason collapse left a sour taste in the team's mouth, and it showed through in rare pointed comments from the typically soft-spoken Leonard, who told reporters L.A. needed to "get smarter as a team" after getting knocked out by the Nuggets:

"Just being smarter, us being able to know what to do in situations when guys are playing certain ways and seeing how we can get some execution down the stretch and guys knowing exactly where they need to be in crunch time or in situations where you can't put the ball in the hole. Those are the big things. That's what championship teams have. They have chemistry. ... They know exactly what to do."

Last season showed how good the Clippers can be when they're firing on all cylinders. This season will be about building better chemistry to make sure they can win even when not on their A-game.

Los Angeles should once again cruise toward a playoff spot, so its final record won't have a ton of meaning unless it ends up in the race for the top seed heading into the last weeks of the campaign. It should quite easily move past the 50-win threshold.

The story of the Clippers' season won't be written until the playoffs, though. The West is absolutely loaded with legitimate contenders, so along with the improved chemistry, they're going to need to avoid any major injuries in order to make a title run.

Regardless, anything less than the franchise's first championship will likely be viewed as a disappointment.

Record Prediction: 47-25

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