Conventional wisdom suggests the Oklahoma City Thunder will be the toughest Western Conference team in these upcoming playoffs, but there is always a dark horse squad that could come out of left field and surprise everyone.
Speaking on his show, Gilbert Arenas talked about the Los Angeles Clippers and said they are ones to watch.
“From the trade deadline when they got Ben Simmons and some of the things they added—that actually made them a lot better. Adding Kawhi (Leonard) and you can see everybody really gelling and playing well together. They are the dark horse, to me, in the West,” Arenas said.
Gil says that the Clippers are the dark horse in the West ? pic.twitter.com/JU8vMfVjsl
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) April 14, 2025
The Clippers are certainly playing like the team they were always supposed to be.
James Harden has been a consistent and great team leader, Ivica Zubac has been a sublime big man, and Kawhi Leonard has remained terrific and healthy.
That last point is a big one because it’s been a long time since the Clippers have seen a healthy Leonard.
The idea of him playing well in the postseason is a game-changer, and it is something that all NBA fans have gotten used to missing out on.
Teams may be about to face the rude awakening that comes with playing a Clippers team playing at 100 percent.
After their regular-season showdown with the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, the Clippers are now poised to take on the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the playoffs.
They may be the underdogs, but most people agree this will be a tough series for both teams, and no one would be surprised if the Clippers came out on top.
If they do, they will prove Arenas’ point and show that they are a team everyone should be afraid of.
NEXT: Brian Windhorst Names Most Intriguing First-Round NBA Playoff Series
