CHICAGO – After emerging from the darkness of the Donald Sterling era, when the NBA forced the franchise into an ownership change, the L.A. Clippers have slowly become a likable team.
They now have an owner, billionaire Steve Ballmer, who’s committed to winning, eager and willing to spend money for top talent.
Their resident star, Kawhi Leonard, is not the brashy type that is representative of today’s breed of entitled athletes. Oft-injured, but a pure stud when healthy, he deserves to be draped with the blanket of sympathy.
And then there’s James Harden. The league MVP in 2018, he morphed briefly into a journeyman before arriving in LA and becoming sort of a reformed malcontent. At age 35, on the last fumes of a Hall-of-Fame career, it’s easier to pull for him to win a ring.
But, man, rooting for the Clippers is a test of endurance. And as shown in Saturday;s heartbreaking defeat to Denver in Game One of their first-round playoffs series, you’d have to wonder if this team can ever overcome their greatest obstacle.
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
THE “CLIPPERS CURSE.”
How else can this freshest debacle be explained?
Even after losing a 15-point lead, the Clippers still had the chance to win in regulation. But Leonard had a careless turnover in the final 33.1 seconds that led to a Russell Westbrook 3 for Denver.
And in the waning seconds of overtime, Harden mishandled an inbounds pass that allowed the Nuggets to escape with a 112-110 victory.
Bad beats are a normal occurrence in sports. Sadly, it happens to the Clippers with crushing, staggering, abnormal regularity.
PHOTO: LA Clippers on X
CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
With a 22-ranked defense that gave up 116.2 points per game during the regular season, the Nuggets have never been more beatable. And the Clippers seemed to exploit that cracked window by erecting a 51-36 second-quarter bubble.
It wouldn’t take long, however, for their grip of Game One to loosen as Denver, aided by its experience and championship pedigree, kept chipping away at the deficit.
And when the contest hung in the balance at crunch time, the curse did what it usually does.
GOOD BUT NOT ENOUGH.
Harden led the Clips with 32 points on 11-of-22 shooting. Leonard added 22 while Ivica Zubac finished with a dominant 21 and 13 boards.
Somehow, it wasn’t enough.
Because Denver’s Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP and seven-time All-Star, came an assist short of a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and nine dimes. It didn’t help LA that Aaron Gordon detonated 25 points to supplement Jamal Murray’s 21-point output.
ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓
MORE FROM SPIN
The Clippers shot 50 percent from the field overall (43-of-86) and 12-of-38 from 3 (36.4 percent). That high clip wasn’t enough, either.
It’s still a winnable series for the Clippers given their manpower. In the back of their minds, though, some doubt must be creeping.
They seem to be 0-for-forever against the dreaded curse. And the way things went at the Ball Arena in Denver, it may take many more painful tomorrows before the spell is broken.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph