Postseason history (minimum 20 games).
This team, though, was considered a championship contender from the moment the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard in free agency and traded for Paul George.
” Were pissed off,” stated Lou Williams, who struggled and shot 4-for-27 from beyond the arc in the series. “Simple and plain, were pissed off. We were up 3-1. We had two opportunities to win this series, and we didnt.”.
Williams added: “I think a great deal of the issues that we encountered, talent bailed us out. Chemistry it didnt. In this series, it failed us.”.
Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP who led the Toronto Raptors to a champion last season before signing with LA in totally free company, stated the Clippers need to enhance their basketball IQ and establish chemistry, like championship groups do, following their collapse.
” We just could not make no shots,” stated Leonard, who shot 1-for-11 in the 2nd half. “Thats when it comes to the team chemistry, knowing what we must run to get the ball in spots or simply if someones getting doubled or theyre loading the paint, try to make other guys make shots, and we got ta understand what specific areas we need to be.
” And you understand, simply got ta rollover and get smarter as a group. Get smarter. Basketball IQ got to improve.”.
In the most significant video game of the season, Leonard and George combined to shoot 10-for-38, including 4-for-18 from beyond the arc, for a total of 24 points in Game 7. Once things started unwinding in the second half for the third straight game, the Clippers looked entirely paralyzed, and the Nuggets outscored them 50-28 over the last 22 minutes, 50 seconds.
I just wasnt,” Rivers said of the Clippers 3-1 series lead. “I just knew conditioning-wise, like, we had guys that just couldnt play minutes, and thats hard, you understand. I indicate, there were 2 or three times a night where we in fact started getting it going, and a guy had to come out.
It has actually been a battle all season for the Clippers to find chemistry. Leonard and George gradually worked their method back from injuries entering into the season. Meshing the two stars with last seasons gritty group of veterans who overachieved was a task. Plus, the Clippers handled consistent interruptions from injuries to midseason additions. Once they started showing a glimpse of coming together, the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the season was stopped for four-plus months.
Coach
W-L
Pct.
Not long after the LA Clippers season came crashing down in sensational style, coach Doc Rivers said the finger can be pointed at him for the teams failure to satisfy its massive champion expectations.
After the Clippers entirely unraveled for a third straight game in a 104-89 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Rivers said the title expectations were not too heavy for his team, although the Clippers disappointed reaching what many thought all season would be a West finals showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers.
” We didnt fulfill them,” Rivers stated of the expectations. “Thats the bottom line. Im the coach, and Ill take any blame for it. However we didnt fulfill our expectations, clearly, because if we had, in my opinion, we d still be playing.”
The Clippers wasted a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series in impressive fashion. They lost double-digit leads of 16, 19 and 12 points in the past 3 games, respectively, as the franchises Western Conference finals drought reached 50 years.
Rivers is the only coach in NBA history to lose a 3-1 lead in three playoff series, having done so with the Clippers in the 2015 West semis versus the Houston Rockets and with the Orlando Magic in the first round against the Detroit Pistons in 2003.
John MacLeod
10-11
.476
Lenny Wilkens
17-20
.459
Doc Rivers
14-27
.341
Red Holzman
12-13
.480
2 RelatedNot long after they got here to the bubble for the season reboot, life got in the method, and the Clippers were interrupted by Montrezl Harrell, Williams and Patrick Beverley all needing to leave for funerals for loved ones. Since they were out of the bubble and had to quarantine, the 3 crucial function gamers each missed time. Harrell was off the flooring for a month.
” A great deal of misfortune we handled,” stated George, who shot 1-for-7 in the 2nd half Tuesday. “Rightfully so. You understand, guys needed to go home for rightful factors. We just missed a great deal of time being together with injuries in the routine season and inside the bubble.”.
George stated the company has actually spoken about how the Clippers are constructed to compete for more than this season. However it will take a while for the team to get over the current stain on a franchise history littered with losing and heartbreak.
” It was apparent pressure to measure up to the title expectations,” George stated. “But as a player, I mean, you desire that. … Its no cop-out. Fact of the matter is, we didnt measure up to that expectation.
” But I think, internally, weve always felt this is not a championship-or-bust year for us. You understand, we can just get better the longer we remain together and the more were around each other. More chemistry for [the] group, the much better. I think thats really the tale of the tape of this season. We just didnt have sufficient time together.”.
I simply wasnt,” Rivers stated of the Clippers 3-1 series lead. It has been a battle all season for the Clippers to find chemistry. Plus, the Clippers dealt with continuous interruptions from injuries to midseason additions. 2 RelatedNot long after they got here to the bubble for the season restart, life got in the way, and the Clippers were disrupted by Montrezl Harrell, Williams and Patrick Beverley all having to leave for funeral services for liked ones. We simply missed a lot of time being together with injuries in the routine season and inside the bubble.”.
