It is said that the Clippers have become the worst team in the NBA. When will it be the first?

In the 78-year history of the NBA, some teams are born to be winners, such as the Lakers (32 Finals) and the Celtics (21 times), while some teams cannot even touch the threshold of the Finals. There are still five teams in the league that have never reached the Finals, among which the Clippers topped the list with an embarrassing record of not having a championship in 55 years, followed by the Hornets (37 years), Timberwolves (36 years), Grizzlies (30 years) and Pelicans (23 years).

1. Clippers (55 years): The "tragic history" of the NBA's most tragic team is a unique in the league. Since their team founded in 1970, they have experienced the struggles of the San Diego era and the stars of the Los Angeles era - Paul + Griffin + Jordan Jr.'s "Air Connection City" was once powerful in the league, and the combination of Leonard and George was also highly expected.

But in 55 years, they have only reached the Western Conference Finals as far as the 2020 Bubble, but they were reversed, becoming the most painful memory in team history. Now that the team has signed Bills and retained the core framework, the book strength is still strong, but it has always lacked some "luck in the finals".

2. Hornets (37 years): Jordan's "black hole"

Hornets (including their predecessor Bobcats) have been in the team for 37 years and have only reached the second round of the playoffs 4 times, and have never taken a step further. Even if Michael Jordan becomes the boss, the team is still in a quagmire. At the 2025 draft, they selected potential rookies, but they were still far from the finals.

3. Timberwolves (36 years): After Garnett's era, the Timberwolves were unable to recover. In 2004, Garnett led the team to enter the Western Conference Finals, but were eliminated by the Lakers. Then, under the leadership of Edwards, the Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference Finals in the past two seasons. This is the first time that their team has entered the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive years, but the competition in the West is fierce, and they have not reached the Finals.

4. Grizzlies (30 years): Can Morant create miracles?

The Grizzlies reached the Western Conference Finals in 2013, but were swept by the Spurs. Today, Ja Morant's talent makes the team full of possibilities, but discipline is still a hidden danger.

5. Pelicans (23 years): Zion's glass attributes are an obstacle. Although the Pelicans (formerly Hornets) have Zion and Ingram (has been traded), Zion's injury makes it difficult for the team to play stably. If he can stay healthy, the Pelicans may be the fastest team to break the curse.

The Pelicans have entered the reconstruction period again, the finals? It's a long way off.

From the current situation, the Clippers and the Timberwolves have relatively greater hope of breaking through. The Clippers have invested quite well this summer and have attracted many strong players. This year is the best opportunity, but the lineup still needs to be adjusted, and the age problem is there. If these situations can be overcome, the Clippers have a chance to rush out of the West.

The Timberwolves core is in an upward period, and the salary structure is healthy. They have experience in winning the playoffs, and Edwards' growth can be seen from the naked eye. The Hornets and Grizzlies need more time to polish the lineup.

However, the charm of the NBA lies in uncertainty - the Raptors broke the championship drought in team history in 2019, and the 50-year wait for the Bucks in 2021 have proved that the "curse" will eventually be broken.