Clippers don't look like themselves in 21-point Game 5 loss to Rockets
The Clippers didn't look like the Clippers on Tuesday night, and the result was a big loss.
The Rockets played well for the first time in the Western Conference semifinals, and they had to as they avoided elimination with a 124-103 win over the Clippers in Game 5 at the Toyota Center.
Coach Doc Rivers and the Clippers still have two more games to get one more win to become the first team in franchise history to make the Western Conference Finals.
"I'm never surprised. It happens," Rivers said of the 21-point loss in his postgame news conference. "I think our guys wanted to do it, but they didn't. They just didn't have it, and the other team did. That's why I don't ever predict games. When you watch body language. at least two of my coaches said we were really locked in. I want to give (Houston) credit. They were the toughest the longest. They deserved to win the game."
James Harden, who battled the flu, played like the runnerup MVP he is for the first time this series with a triple-double of 26 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. The Clippers had no answer for him or the transition game of the Rockets. Houston outscored the Clippers in fastbreak points 17-3.
Another problem was that DeAndre Jordan picked up his first foul 20 seconds into the game and his third foul in the second quarter. With him on the bench and playing just 24 minutes, the Clippers struggled inside defensively. Dwight Howard had a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds.
"We didn't have the right mindset and focus," Jordan said. "Everything was easy for them. We didn't make it tough, and we paid for it."
It was so uncharacteristic of the Clippers, who beat the Spurs in seven games to win the first round of the playoffs over San Antonio, then took control of this series and played well the first four games.
They really were never in Game 5 against the Rockets.
"It's disappointing," said the Clippers' Spencer Hawes, who played well off the bench again. "We let one get away from the standpoint. At the same time, that's why you fight to get homecourt and had the start to the series we did. We'll get home, regroup and we have a great opportunity again Thursday. The nice thing about the way the schedules worked out was that we don't have to wait too long to think about it."
The Clippers play the Rockets in Game 6 Thursday at Staples Center. Watching film of Tuesday's game might be similar to the Spurs' Game 3 rout over the Clippers. Rivers had pointed comments for each player after that game, and the Clippers responded with an important win in Game 4 on the road in San Antonio.
Perhaps, Rivers has another film room session like that in store for the Clippers. They need to play desperate Thursday at home. Otherwise, they'll have to play Sunday in Game 7 at Houston.
The Clippers were outrebounded 58-39. And offensively, they weren't in any rhythm all game. That was troubling.
"I didn't like our offense at all," Doc Rivers said. "I know that's not the team I've gotten accustomed to watching. I don't think we trusted at all offensively. Give them credit. I thought a lot of it was due to their pressure. I didn't recognize a lot of things we were running. I'm not sure what we were running. I'll have to watch the tape."
Replay Review: if Hawes' made FG was released before time expired in Q3 of #LACvHOU. Ruling: Upheld, shot counts. http://t.co/UnKvabCwJh
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) May 13, 2015
Hawes said the Rockets wanted it more.
"We came out flat," Jordan said. "We didn't have the same fight we did before."
On the verge of making history, the Clippers looked nothing like the team that has been rolling in the playoffs. They didn't look like it or sound like it.
They'll need to get back to being the postseason Clippers many are coming to know and love, a confident bunch with a well-oiled offensive machine with an intense defense.
The Clippers' Blake Griffin had a double-double with 30 points and 16 rebounds, and Paul played 35 minutes, the most minutes since he strained his left hamstring.
Clippers guard Austin Rivers has a bruised hip, sustained when he fell on it after making a move to the basket. And Matt Barnes went to the locker room during the game and had his ankle re-taped.
Those injuries weren't the biggest of the Clippers' concerns. It's playing efficiently again and looking like the postseason team that has won seven games.
"I don't know. I don't know. I really don't," Paul said of how the Clippers played. "You could say we wanted to win really bad. We'll look at the film. Throw this one away. Go back home and try to close it out there."
Game 6 begins Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. "Clippers Live" postgame show can be seen at 10:30 p.m. on Prime Ticket.
