The 2005–06 Los Angeles Clippers season was their 36th season in the NBA and their 22nd in Los Angeles.[1] The Clippers finished with 47 wins and 35 losses in the regular season, their best record since the 1974–75 season when they were the Buffalo Braves and made the playoffs for the first time since 1997 as the 6th seed, finishing with a better record than their crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, who finished two games behind them with a 45–37 record as the 7th seed, for the first time since 1992. And their first winning season since 1991-92.
In the playoffs, the Clippers defeated the 3rd seeded Denver Nuggets in the First Round in five games, marking the first time they won a series since moving to California in 1978. The Clippers then advanced to the Semi-finals, where they lost in seven games to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns previously defeated the Clippers' Staples Center co-tenants, the Los Angeles Lakers, in seven games in the First Round after being down 1–3 in the series.
The Clippers would not return to the playoffs until 2012.
See main article: 2005 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | F | CSKA Moscow (Russia) | |||
| 2 | 32 | PG | Duke |
| 2005-06 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NOK | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | |
| Boston | 1–2 | – | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | |
| Charlotte | 3–1 | 1–2 | – | 2–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | |
| Chicago | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | |
| Cleveland | 2–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | – | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | |
| Detroit | 3–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | – | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | – | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | |
| Indiana | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | |
| L.A. Clippers | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | – | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | – | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | |
| Memphis | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | |
| Miami | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | |
| Minnesota | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | |
| New Jersey | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | |
| New Orleans/Oklahoma City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | |
| New York | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | – | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | |
| Orlando | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | |
| Philadelphia | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |
| Portland | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | – | 1–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | |
| Sacramento | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | – | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | – | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | |
| Seattle | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–2 | – | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | |
| Toronto | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 0–2 | 1–2 | |
| Utah | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | – | 1–1 | |
| Washington | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| April 22| Denver| W 89–87| Elton Brand (21)| Chris Kaman (13)| Sam Cassell (7)| Staples Center
19,162| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 24| Denver| W 98–87| Cuttino Mobley (21)| Elton Brand (11)| Sam Cassell (11)| Staples Center
18,794| 2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 27| @ Denver| L 87–94| Corey Maggette (23)| Brand, Livingston (8)| Brand, Livingston (4)| Pepsi Center
19,099| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 29| @ Denver| W 100–86| Corey Maggette (19)| Elton Brand (10)| Shaun Livingston (6)| Pepsi Center
19,099| 3–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5| May 1| Denver| W 101–83| Maggette, Mobley (23)| Elton Brand (13)| Shaun Livingston (14)| Staples Center
18,648| 4–1|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| May 8| @ Phoenix| L 123–130| Elton Brand (40)| Elton Brand (9)| Shaun Livingston (9)| US Airways Center
18,422| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| May 10| @ Phoenix| W 122–97| Elton Brand (27)| Chris Kaman (16)| Sam Cassell (6)| US Airways Center
18,422| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| May 12| Phoenix| L 91–94| Elton Brand (20)| Corey Maggette (14)| Elton Brand (8)| Staples Center
19,877| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| May 14| Phoenix| W 114–107| Elton Brand (30)| Corey Maggette (15)| Sam Cassell (9)| Staples Center
19,897| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| May 16| @ Phoenix| L 118–125 (2OT)| Elton Brand (33)| Elton Brand (15)| Brand, Cassell (5)| US Airways Center
18,422| 2–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 6| May 18| Phoenix| W 118–106| Elton Brand (30)| Elton Brand (13)| Sam Cassell (8)| Staples Center
19,985| 3–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 7| May 22| @ Phoenix| L 107–127| Elton Brand (36)| Brand, Maggette (9)| Sam Cassell (6)| US Airways Center
18,422| 3–4|-
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 79 | 39.2 | .527 | .333 | .775 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 24.7 | ||
| 79 | 74 | 37.7 | .426 | .339 | .839 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 1.2 | .5 | 14.8 | ||
| 78 | 78 | 32.8 | .523 | .000 | .770 | 9.6 | 1.0 | .6 | 1.4 | 11.9 | ||
| 78 | 75 | 34.0 | .443 | .368 | .863 | 3.7 | 6.3 | .9 | .1 | 17.2 | ||
| 67 | 45 | 22.6 | .422 | .000 | .760 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .8 | .2 | 4.7 | ||
| 66 | 5 | 14.7 | .380 | .282 | .783 | 1.3 | 1.3 | .6 | .1 | 3.8 | ||
| 61 | 14 | 25.0 | .427 | .125 | .688 | 3.0 | 4.5 | .8 | .5 | 5.8 | ||
| 59 | 10 | 12.8 | .510 | .500 | .780 | 3.3 | .5 | .3 | .4 | 3.4 | ||
| † | 48 | 1 | 13.7 | .536 | .000 | .644 | 3.6 | .4 | .3 | .4 | 4.5 | |
| 36 | 1 | 9.8 | .333 | .222 | .571 | 1.9 | .6 | .2 | .1 | 2.4 | ||
| 32 | 13 | 29.5 | .445 | .338 | .828 | 5.3 | 2.1 | .6 | .1 | 17.8 | ||
| † | 30 | 11 | 29.5 | .417 | .418 | .731 | 5.7 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .5 | 10.7 | |
| 29 | 2 | 14.2 | .542 | .756 | 2.2 | .3 | .2 | .7 | 4.7 | |||
| 24 | 0 | 5.3 | .300 | .286 | .700 | .5 | .4 | .1 | .0 | 1.1 | ||
| 23 | 1 | 6.6 | .415 | .000 | .667 | 1.6 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 2.2 | ||
| † | 13 | 0 | 8.6 | .235 | .250 | 1.1 | 1.9 | .2 | .0 | .7 | ||
| 8 | 1 | 10.6 | .467 | .722 | 2.4 | .5 | .5 | .5 | 3.4 | |||
| 3 | 0 | 7.3 | .143 | .000 | .3 | .7 | .0 | .0 | .7 |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 12 | 43.1 | .551 | .000 | .750 | 10.3 | 4.0 | .9 | 2.6 | 25.4 | ||
| 12 | 12 | 39.4 | .427 | .367 | .897 | 4.8 | 2.0 | .7 | .3 | 13.3 | ||
| 12 | 12 | 33.7 | .437 | .349 | .809 | 4.0 | 5.8 | .7 | .2 | 18.0 | ||
| 12 | 10 | 24.5 | .534 | .875 | 2.7 | .8 | .6 | .7 | 7.7 | |||
| 12 | 2 | 24.3 | .467 | .333 | .910 | 7.3 | 1.4 | .6 | .4 | 15.3 | ||
| 12 | 2 | 20.5 | .470 | .463 | .696 | 4.0 | 1.1 | .6 | .5 | 8.1 | ||
| 12 | 0 | 27.7 | .474 | 1.000 | .810 | 4.7 | 4.8 | .6 | .5 | 7.5 | ||
| 11 | 10 | 29.5 | .593 | .762 | 8.0 | .9 | .5 | .8 | 10.7 | |||
| 8 | 0 | 1.3 | .250 | .000 | .1 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .3 | |||
| 7 | 0 | 1.7 | .333 | .000 | .4 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .3 | |||
| 6 | 0 | 0.8 | 1.000 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .3 | ||||
| 3 | 0 | 7.3 | .333 | 1.3 | .0 | .0 | .3 | .7 |
The Clippers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2005-06 season.
| August 12, 2005 | To Los Angeles Clippers | To Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| February 14, 2006 | To Los Angeles Clippers | To Seattle SuperSonics |
| Player | Signed | Former team | |
| August 3 | Sacramento Kings | ||
| August 30 | Armani Jeans Milano (Lega Basket Serie A) | ||
| September 29 | Phoenix Suns | ||
| October 23 | Milwaukee Bucks | ||
| October 23 | TSK uniVersa Bamberg (BBL) | ||
| November 17 | Utah Jazz | ||
| January 10 | Dallas Mavericks | ||
| February 20 | Houston Rockets |
| Player | Left | New team | |
| waived, June 29 | Golden State Warriors | ||
| waived, August 3 | Seattle SuperSonics | ||
| waived, August 3 | New Jersey Nets (part-time scout) | ||
| free agency, August 8 | Milwaukee Bucks | ||
| waived, August 31 | Seattle SuperSonics | ||
| free agency, November 16 | Toronto Raptors | ||
| waived, November 16 | Panellinios B.C. (GBL) | ||
| waived, January 3 | Denver Nuggets | ||
| contract expired, January 20 | Atlanta Hawks |