Rowan Kavner
HOUSTON – As the seconds ticked down in Game 7, and what would ultimately be the Clippers’ season in a 113-100 defeat, the gamut of emotions set in.
A couple players said they felt as if they were in the middle of a bad dream. The 3-1 series lead, the stunning Game 6 finish, the myriad of chances to go to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history, it all crossed their minds as they reminisced on what took place Sunday afternoon as the Rockets finished off their third straight win to end the series.
The prevailing feeling was shock, something that J.J. Redick said was still prevalent about an hour after the final buzzer went off, though the range of feelings seemed endless.
“Sadness, disappointment,” Redick added. “You never want to equate sports with death, but it does feel like a wake or a funeral.”
FINAL
Game 7
From shocked to angry, Jamal Crawford said the emotions were “a combination of everything,” as the Clippers were left wondering if what occurred had really just happened. As tough as it was to believe after jumping out to a commanding lead in the series, the Clippers weren't moving on after a third straight closeout attempt came up short, never leading in a Game 7 loss.
It marked just the ninth time in NBA history a team came back from down 3-1 in a series, as the Clippers couldn’t answer from a crushing Game 6 finish, during which it appeared they’d close the series out at home.
“Game 6 we stopped playing, took our foot off the pedal,” said Blake Griffin. “We got tight. You could say self-inflicted, whatever you want to call it. It’s on us. We put ourselves in this situation and made it tough for ourselves. You can’t do that.”
Head coach Doc Rivers actually looks back a game prior to that, when the Clippers failed to shut the Rockets out in Houston, as the turning point in the series.
“Give them credit,” Rivers said. “I thought this series changed in Game 5. I thought they were ready to go home if we supplied the pressure, and we didn’t. After that, I thought they looked at it like, ‘Hey, listen, even though we’re down 3-2, there’s only one home game each.’”
But he acknowledged the chance the Clippers let slip away at STAPLES Center in Game 6. That was the Clippers’ best chance at making history and heading to the conference finals.
Rivers said he’ll think about that Game 6 for a long time, and so will his players. Many of those players weren’t sure if a hangover from that loss led to the slow start in Game 7, but the Rockets were able to get the momentum from the beginning. They jumped out to a 14-7 lead Sunday, putting the Clippers in catch-up mode early.
The Clippers answered to cut the deficit to one, but they failed to tie it up or go ahead at that point or at any point the rest of the game, as the Rockets led the whole way after a 7-7 tie early in the first quarter.
“The one thing I thought coming into this game, at least to our staff, was not getting behind too quickly,” Rivers said. “In the seventh game, you feel pressure, right? The one thing you don’t want to do is let the home team get a lead. If it’s two or three, it’s one thing, but once you get that double-digit lead, they’re at home, they’re comfortable.”
There were chances throughout where it appeared the Clippers could make a run to tie or go ahead. They brought a 15-point deficit in the second quarter down to six, but it ballooned back up to 10 by halftime. They got within three points in the third quarter, but that quickly turned back into an 11-point deficit.
“Every time we made a run, they hit a big shot,” said Chris Paul. “Tonight, James shot more free throws than we shot as a team. You can’t let him have the threes, the free throws and the lay-ups. A lot of credit goes to Houston. They beat us.”
It was a bleak situation for the Clippers entering the fourth quarter, after the Rockets closed the third on an 11-2 run capped by a James Harden jumper to take an 85-68 lead. Houston would then get up by 20 points to start the fourth quarter on an and-one from Dwight Howard.
But the Clippers weren’t done fighting, mustering up a last ditch last-ditch effort with a 9-0 run at the end to bring the deficit to single digits. There just wasn’t enough time left. The Clippers committed 18 turnovers in the game, more than their previous two games combined, which hurt their comeback attempts.
“We still had so many opportunities, even late,” Rivers said. “You just keep going back and looking at some of the things we did – the turnovers, the tough shots. I love my team. I love the fact that they wanted to win so bad that I thought, in my opinion, we almost couldn’t win. We have to fix that part of it. It still requires great trust in the system and in each other.
“Our guys wanted to win so badly, they were trying to do it all on their own – each guy. In one way you want that, and in another, that can’t win for you. I thought that did us in.”
Paul finished with 26 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. Griffin had 27 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. DeAndre Jordan added 16 points and 17 rebounds. The trio combined to shoot 29-of-53, but the rest of the Clippers combined to go 12-for-39.
As much as some players saw growth in the team, that silver lining was tougher to fathom for Paul, who once again came close but not as close as he’d like to getting to the Western Conference Finals and, potentially, a championship series.
“So close, I don’t even know what that means anymore,” Paul said. “I don’t know. Like Ricky Bobby says, ‘If you’re not first, you’re last.’ Getting close ain’t good enough.”
NOTES: DeAndre Jordan was asked about his future going forward, but he said that’s not on his mind so fresh after the loss … Paul said he always wants to keep the core together looking ahead to next year … The Clippers outrebounded the Rockets by eight, marking the first time in the series the team that won the rebound battle lost the game … The Rockets shot 24 more free throw attempts than the Clippers in the game … Four of the five Clippers starters played at least 39 minutes … James Harden made 15 of his 31 points from the free-throw line … The Rockets scored 27 points off the Clippers’ 18 turnovers … Blake Griffin finished in the top 10 in points, rebounds and assists per game in the playoffs …