The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and are a member of the NBA Western Conference's Pacific Division. The Clippers were founded in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves. They were one of three franchises that joined the NBA as an expansion team in the 1970–71 season. The Braves moved to San Diego, California after the 1977–78 season, and became known as the San Diego Clippers. For the 1984–85 NBA season, the Clippers moved north to Los Angeles and became known as the Los Angeles Clippers.

On October 14, 1970, the Braves beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107–92 in their first game. In the 1972 NBA draft, the Braves selected Bob McAdoo, who later won such awards as Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. During McAdoo's years (1972–76) with the franchise, the Braves reached the postseason three times and had a record of nine wins and 13 losses during that time.

Overall, the Clippers have qualified for the postseason 19 times; most recently in the 2024-25 season. They passed the first round of the playoffs seven times (1975–76, 2005–06, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2019–20 and 2020–21). The Clippers have never won league or Conference titles. Their 51-year drought between entering Western Conference finals (before doing so in 2020–21) is one of the longest in league history and the 30-year drought between winning a playoffs round (before doing so in 2005–06) is the longest in league history. They also have only 16 seasons with a winning percentage of .500 or better, and as a result, in their April 17, 2000 issue, the Sports Illustrated had three Clippers fans on the cover that stated "The worst franchise in sports history". A decade later, the additions of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul helped them win their first division title during the 2012–13 season, their 43rd year in the league, and they repeated the feat the following year. Paul and Griffin departed in 2017, and after a short transition period, the Clippers signed All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in 2019.

Table key

FinishFinal position in league or division standingsGBGames behind first-place team in divisionASG MVPAll-Star Game Most Valuable PlayerEOYExecutive of the YearMVPMost Valuable PlayerROYRookie of the YearMIPMost Improved PlayerWNumber of regular season winsLNumber of regular season losses

Seasons Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the . League championsConference championsDivision champions Playoff berthPlay-in berth Season Team League Conference Finish Division Finish Wins Losses Win% GBPlayoffsAwardsHead coachBuffalo Braves1970–711970–71NBAEastern7thAtlantic4th226030—Dolph Schayes1971–721971–72NBAEastern8thAtlantic4th226034—Dolph SchayesJohnny McCarthy1972–731972–73 NBA Eastern 7th Atlantic 3rd 21 61 47 Bob McAdoo (ROY) Jack Ramsay1973–741973–74 NBA Eastern 4th Atlantic 3rd 42 40 14 Lost conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–2 Ernie DiGregorio (ROY)Eddie Donovan (EOY)1974–751974–75 NBA Eastern 3rd Atlantic 2nd 49 33 11 Lost conference semifinals (Bullets) 4–3 Bob McAdoo (MVP)1975–761975–76 NBA Eastern 5th Atlantic 2nd 46 36 8 Won First round (76ers) 2–1 Lost conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–2—1976–771976–77 NBA Eastern 10th Atlantic 4th 30 52 20 Adrian Dantley (ROY)Tates LockeBob MacKinnonJoe Mullaney1977–781977–78 NBA Eastern 10th Atlantic 4th 27 55 28 Randy Smith (ASG MVP)Cotton FitzsimmonsSan Diego Clippers1978–791978–79 NBA Western 7th Pacific 5th 43 39 9 — Gene Shue1979–801979–80 NBA Western 7th Pacific 5th 35 47 25 —1980–811980–81 NBA Western 9th Pacific 5th 36 46 21 — Paul Silas1981–821981–82 NBA Western 12th Pacific 6th 17 65 40 —1982–831982–83 NBA Western 11th Pacific 6th 25 57 33 Terry Cummings (ROY)1983–841983–84 NBA Western 11th Pacific 6th 30 52 24 —Jim LynamLos Angeles Clippers1984–851984–85 NBA Western 11th Pacific 4th 31 51 31 —Jim LynamDon Chaney1985–861985–86 NBA Western 10th Pacific 3rd 32 50 30 — Don Chaney1986–871986–87 NBA Western 12th Pacific 6th 12 70 53 —1987–881987–88 NBA Western 12th Pacific 6th 17 65 45 —Gene Shue1988–891988–89 NBA Western 11th Pacific 7th 21 61 36 —Gene ShueDon Casey1989–901989–90 NBA Western 11th Pacific 6th 30 52 33 —Don Casey1990–911990–91 NBA Western 10th Pacific 6th 31 51 32 —Mike Schuler1991–921991–92 NBA Western 7th Pacific 5th 45 37 12 Lost First round (Jazz) 3–2—Mike SchulerMack CalvinLarry Brown1992–931992–93 NBA Western 7th Pacific 4th 41 41 21 Lost First round (Rockets) 3–2—Larry Brown1993–941993–94 NBA Western 11th Pacific 7th 27 55 36 —Bob Weiss1994–951994–95 NBA Western 13th Pacific 7th 17 65 42 — Bill Fitch1995–961995–96 NBA Western 11th Pacific 7th 29 53 35 —1996–971996–97 NBA Western 8th Pacific 5th 36 46 21 Lost First round (Jazz) 3–0—1997–981997–98 NBA Western 13th Pacific 7th 17 65 44 —1998–991998–99 NBA Western 13th Pacific 7th 9 41 26 —Chris Ford1999–001999–2000 NBA Western 14th Pacific 7th 15 67 52 —Chris FordJim Todd2000–012000–01 NBA Western 12th Pacific 6th 31 51 25 — Alvin Gentry2001–022001–02 NBA Western 9th Pacific 5th 39 43 22 —2002–032002–03 NBA Western 13th Pacific 7th 27 55 32 —Alvin GentryDennis Johnson2003–042003–04 NBA Western 14th Pacific 7th 28 54 28 — Mike Dunleavy2004–052004–05 NBA Western 10th Pacific 3rd 37 45 25 Bobby Simmons (MIP)2005–062005–06 NBA Western 6th Pacific 2nd 47 35 7 Won First round (Nuggets) 4–1 Lost conference semifinals (Suns) 4–3 Elgin Baylor (EOY)Elton Brand (SPOR)2006–072006–07 NBA Western 9th Pacific 4th 40 42 21 —2007–082007–08 NBA Western 12th Pacific 5th 23 59 34 —2008–092008–09 NBA Western 14th Pacific 4th 19 63 46 —2009–102009–10 NBA Western 12th Pacific 3rd 29 53 28 —Mike DunleavyKim Hughes2010–112010–11 NBA Western 13th Pacific 4th 32 50 25 Blake Griffin (ROY) Vinny Del Negro2011–122011–12 NBA Western 5th Pacific 2nd 40 26 1 Won First round (Grizzlies) 4–3 Lost conference semifinals (Spurs) 4–0—2012–132012–13 NBA Western 4th Pacific 1st 56 26 –Lost First round (Grizzlies) 4–2Chris Paul (ASG MVP)2013–142013–14 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 1st 57 25 – Won First round (Warriors) 4–3 Lost conference semifinals (Thunder) 4–2Jamal Crawford (SIX) Doc Rivers2014–152014–15 NBA Western 3rd Pacific 2nd 56 26 11 Won First round (Spurs) 4–3 Lost conference semifinals (Rockets) 4–3—2015–162015–16 NBA Western 4thPacific2nd532920Lost First round (Trail Blazers) 4–2Jamal Crawford (SIX)2016–172016–17 NBA Western 4thPacific2nd513116Lost First round (Jazz) 4–3—2017–182017–18NBAWestern10thPacific2nd424016Lou Williams (SIX)2018–192018-19 NBA Western 8thPacific2nd48349Lost First round (Warriors) 4–2Lou Williams (SIX)2019–202019–20NBAWestern 2ndPacific2nd49233.5Won First round (Mavericks) 4–2 Lost conference semifinals (Nuggets) 4–3Montrezl Harrell (SIX)Lawrence Frank (EOY) Kawhi Leonard (ASG MVP)2020–212020–21NBAWestern 4thPacific2nd47254Won First round (Mavericks) 4–3 Won conference semifinals (Jazz) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Suns) 4–2— Tyronn Lue2021–222021–22NBAWestern9thPacific3rd424022—2022–232022–23NBAWestern 5thPacific3rd44384Lost First round (Suns) 4–1—2023–242023–24NBAWestern 4th Pacific 1st5131–Lost First round (Mavericks) 4–2—2024–252024–25NBAWestern 5thPacific2nd5032–Lost First round (Nuggets) 4–3—2025–262025–26NBAWestern10thPacific3rd424011—

All-time records Note: Statistics are correct as of the end of the . StatisticWinsLossesW–L%Buffalo Braves regular season record (1970–1978) 259 397 San Diego Clippers regular season record (1978–1984) 186 306 Los Angeles Clippers regular season record (1984–present) 1,490 1,886 All-time regular season record 1,935 2,589 Buffalo Braves postseason record (1970–1978) 9 13 San Diego Clippers postseason record (1978–1984) 0 0 —Los Angeles Clippers postseason record (1984–present) 60 78 All-time postseason record 69 91 All-time regular and postseason record 2,004 2,680

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