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It may be the end of the road for the LA Clippers in the 2020-21 NBA playoffs. But they can leave with their heads held high after making their first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history.
Before a ball was even bounced this season, the LA Clippers were considered as one of the title favorites but had the usual criticism attached to a team that has underachieved in the last decade. That was because they blew a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 series lead against the Denver Nuggets in last year's playoffs. They came into this season knowing that anything less than a deep postseason run would be considered a failure and could make them lose Kawhi Leonard.
As things turned out, Leonard was unable to help his side reach the NBA Finals, and fans will wonder what could have been had the two-time champion been fit to face the Phoenix Suns. Nevertheless, the Clippers exceeded expectations without their talismanic forward, prevailing over the Utah Jazz before taking the Suns to six games.
Taking another step closer to an elusive championship title would have proved many doubters wrong, but has that silenced the LA Clippers' critics?
Paul George leads LA Clippers in revenge mission
September 15th, 2020. The day the LA Clippers blew a 3-1 semifinal series lead to the Denver Nuggets, who had a stifling defense. The franchise then parted ways with their long-time coach Doc Rivers following that defeat, even as the Clippers gained some much-needed playoff experience.
Ty Lue was promoted to head coach and set about looking to prove critics of both himself and the LA Clippers wrong. In came Serge Ibaka and Luke Kennard, while stars Paul George and Marcus Morris Sr. penned new contracts.
George and Kawhi Leonard had a full pre-season working together, while young stars Ivica Zubac and Terance Mann continued to prove their worth as key members of the roster.
By the end of January, the LA Clippers were 16-5 and sat atop a stacked Western Conference. They never ranked outside the top four in the West and finished with the same number of wins as the Denver Nuggets in third seed. Only the Brooklyn Nets had a more efficient offense than the Clippers in the regular season, and no team shot the 3-ball at a better rate than the Clippers (41.1%).
However, everybody knew about the LA Clippers' strength in depth. Their bench ranked inside the top three for three-point and free-throw percentage and were fifth in assists. But what everybody was waiting to see was how the Clippers would perform in the playoffs when it really mattered.
The Clippers had gained an unwanted label of disappointing when expected to succeed. They are a lucrative franchise to play for and have had several great teams over the past decade but have failed to show up when it counts most.
The criticism brought on by last year's failure and those of the past lay heavy on the backs of the current Clippers' roster this season - rightly or wrongly - and continued into the postseason. Down 2-0 and heading on the road, Ty Lue's side looked finished before their playoff journey had even begun. But then, fans and critics saw a side of the Clippers not previously seen in past teams.
Kawhi Leonard rose to the fore, and with Paul George and Reggie Jackson also chipping in, the LA Clippers brought the series level. Losing at home again sparked something in Leonard, the kind of spark that has helped him win two championships in the past. With his team on the cusp of elimination, he put up 45 points and forced the contest to be decided in California.
Even though Luka Doncic posted 46 points in game seven, that wasn't enough, as seven LA Clippers players racked up double-digit tallies on the night. The LA Clippers advanced to the conference semi-finals, the scene of their 2020 bubble nightmare. This time it wasn't the Denver Nuggets, though; the Utah Jazz were lying in wait. The Jazz had ended their regular-season campaign with the best record and had lost at home only five times.
Therefore, it was unsurprising to see Donovan Mitchell light up games one and two in Salt Lake City as the Clippers found themselves 2-0 down again. However, unlike in the series against the Mavs, the tide remained with the Jazz.
Behind Leonard and George's 30+ point performances in game three, the LA Clippers wiped the floor with the Jazz, running out 132-106 victors. With that, the team halted the return of demons from playoffs past. Both stars excelled again in game four, combining for 62 points, as the LA Clippers tied the series. Then came the hammer blow for Ty Lue. Kawhi Leonard got injured with no known return date.
Of course, they handled regular-season games without Leonard with aplomb. However, this was different, as this was a series against one of the most prolific shooting teams in the league with multiple 3-point scoring threats.
Who could step up then but the only player receiving as much criticism as the franchise he plays for - Paul George. The 31-year-old flicked a switch and turned into the athletic, versatile scorer who took over games when in Indiana. He posted an explosive 37 points and 16 rebounds in game five on the road, while Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris both scored over 20 points on the night.
Back on home court, the LA Clippers made light work of their opponents. George grabbed a casual 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while the young Terance Mann erupted for a career-high 39 points. That was enough to take the Clippers to the Western Conference Finals, albeit without Kawhi Leonard.
It was another case of deja vu against the Phoenix Suns in the finals, though. Despite two extremely close encounters, the LA Clippers found themselves 2-0 down and ended up not having enough to overcome the Phoenix Suns' wealth of scoring options and experience.
It proved to be a hurdle too far for Ty Lue's men, who had battled against the odds to make it a six-game series despite playing without their key man.
The series wasn't without its moments of magic for Clippers fans, though, and showed proof of how much this team has evolved.
Facing elimination in game five, Paul George once again picked up the reins and posted 41 points and 13 rebounds to force another contest. Meanwhile, the side's new second scorer, Reggie Jackson, had four games of 20 points or more in the series and finished the playoffs as the Clippers' leading 3-point scorer.
Now begins another off-season where the LA Clippers will be looking to cement their status as a championship favorite next year. In doing so, they will need to lock down Kawhi Leonard to avoid him entering free agency. They will also hope to retain Reggie Jackson, though that appears increasingly unlikely given their cap space.
Following their inspired run in this season's playoffs, the LA Clippers will be expected to continue their form next campaign. They have shown that they can compete at the top level even when the odds are stacked against them and their fans will feel their team could have gone all the way had Leonard been healthy.
The most important fact for the LA Clippers, though, is that this team and Paul George have silenced some of their critics. At least for now.
