Western Conference Shake-Up: Lakers Fall to the Clippers, Slide to No. 6 as One Loss Could Drop Four Teams into the Play-In

On January 23 (Beijing time), the Los Angeles Lakers fell 104–112 to the Los Angeles Clippers in their latest city derby, underscoring just how chaotic the Western Conference race has become.

With the win, the Clippers improved to 20–24. Even more impressive, they’ve gone 14–3 over their last 17 games, climbing to 10th in the West and sitting 2.5 games behind the ninth-place Trail Blazers.

On the other side, the Lakers’ roller-coaster positioning continues to reflect the tight margins across the conference. They now stand at 26–17 and have slipped to sixth in the West, tied with the Timberwolves in record and just 0.5 games behind the teams directly ahead—namely the Rockets and the Suns.

Minnesota’s recent downturn has been a key factor in the constant reshuffling. After putting together a winning streak earlier, the Timberwolves have now dropped four straight, a slide that has pulled them down from fourth place and into the play-in mix.

At the moment, only a couple of spots appear relatively stable—while much of the middle tier remains in flux. From fourth through seventh, the standings can flip rapidly based on a single result. For example, after the Rockets’ 122–128 loss to the 76ers, they are now level with the Suns. If Phoenix keeps winning while Houston stumbles, the two could swap positions quickly, with the gap potentially opening to a full game.

The pressure is immediate for the Lakers as well. Although they currently hold sixth based on winning percentage, they’re in a razor-thin battle with Minnesota. Next up is a matchup against the Mavericks—if the Lakers lose and the Timberwolves win, Los Angeles could slide straight back into the play-in zone.

Even with the season only just past its midpoint, the Western Conference playoff chase already feels like a postseason fight—tight, volatile, and unforgiving, where every game can reshape the standings overnight.