LA Clippers Exec Jerry West: 'We Have the Worst Schedule Every Year'

West say the Clippers' new arena, the Intuit Dome, will allow them to have a more favorable schedule starting in 2024-25.

Mason Bissada, Sports Illustrated

LA Clippers executive Jerry West spoke to the media Friday morning following the groundbreaking of the Clippers’ new Intuit Dome, the arena in which they will play starting in the 2024-25 season. West spoke on the importance of the team having their own arena, rather than sharing one with the Lakers and Kings at Staples Center, as it will give them a more favorable schedule.

“When you’re the third tenant in a building, I mean, my goodness, we have the worst schedule every year,” West said. “This will allow this team to have a schedule that’s more fair, and also not be as taxing on the players.”

The Clippers’ schedule for the upcoming 2021-22 season confirm’s West’s complaints to some extent. The Clippers will have five sets of five games in seven nights, the most of any team in the NBA along with the Portland Trail Blazers.

To be fair, the NBA’ Executive Vice President of Basketball Strategy & Analytics Evan Wasch recently pointed out on “The Crossover” podcast (H/T ClipsNation) that the Clippers “play five no-travel back-to-backs, meaning either home/home or in the same city, which is among the highest in the league.”

The Intuit Dome is set to be built at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Century Boulevard in Inglewood, just across from SoFi Stadium and The Forum. In addition to a potentially more favorable schedule, the Clippers will no longer have to commute to Playa Vista to practice, as the arena will also act as their practice facility. 

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