Editor’s note: This first appeared in the Open Floor newsletter, a free, twice-weekly publication straight to your inbox. Subscribe now.
Greetings from Los Angeles, where I’m (briefly) unpacking my bags this week. The Clippers shrugged off a four-game losing streak with back-to-back wins over Dallas and Milwaukee to stay ahead of Portland for the No. 8 seed. There’s no avoiding the play-in for the Clips but there is certainly plenty of motivation to stay out of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup. Meanwhile the Lakers lost a game for the first time in nearly three weeks but are starting to look like a real threat in the West.
