San Diego Clippers clinch NBA G League playoff spot in season finale

OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- Despite a 118-102 loss to the Stockton Kings in their regular season finale, the San Diego Clippers still walked away with their main objective accomplished. San Diego clinched a spot in the NBA G League playoffs, marking the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 2021-22 and a key step forward in its first season under the San Diego name.

It’s nice to be in it,” head coach Paul Hewitt said. “We got a little help today, obviously, but our guys gave themselves a chance.” He added, “Winning the game yesterday put us in position. That’s all you can ask for at this time of year.”

The game itself mirrored much of the Clippers’ season—competitive, but just out of reach late. “These guys hung with it,” Hewitt said. “Especially the guys that have been here the whole year… they stuck to the script and gave ourselves a chance.” San Diego entered the fourth quarter within striking distance before Stockton used a late run to pull away. For Hewitt, the bigger takeaway was the consistency from a core group that stayed committed through constant roster turnover. “Their level of commitment is something I certainly appreciate,” he said. “It’s the easiest thing in the world when there’s turnover to just go out there and play for yourself, but for the most part our guys didn’t do that.”

That group included Jahmyl Telfort, TyTy Washington Jr. and Zach Freemantle, who helped anchor the team throughout the season. “Just having those guys was really helpful the whole season,” Telfort said. “I’ve known Zach for a couple years, and me and TyTy got close too. Playing with them is a blessing for sure.”Telfort also emphasized the team’s mindset heading into the postseason. “Just win,” he said. “Do everything in your power to win the game.” He added, “Making the playoffs was a goal of ours, and we did. Now it’s just taking it one game at a time.”

Hewitt echoed that simplicity when asked about the message moving forward. “I don’t think there’s much to be said,” he said. “It’s a playoff game… everybody’s 0-0 now.” He also pointed to the opportunity in front of the group, noting, “We’ve played them well this year. They’re playing great basketball, but so are we when we’re right.” Beyond the court, the moment carried meaning for the organization and the city, having just moved to San Diego and completing their second season at Frontwave Arena. “We absolutely appreciate the people that come out,” Hewitt said. “The opportunity to play in this building, we couldn’t ask for more.” He added, “I hope they enjoy this because we appreciate them.”

Now, San Diego turns its attention to the postseason, where they’ll face the top-seeded South Bay Lakers in the opening round next week. As the lower seed, the Clippers will head to El Segundo to take on the Lakers on Tuesday, March 31. The game will be played at the UCLA Health Training Center with tip-off at 7pm.