Clips' Playoff Meltdown Will Test Just How Much Blake Griffin and Co. Have Grown
LOS ANGELES — On an uncommon day of extraordinary rain in Southern California, another rare storm was brewing inside Staples Center: The long-suffering Clippers were poised to reach their first conference finals.
Then the Clippers stopped playing late in the third quarter, believing their work was done.
The result was a nearly incomprehensible Houston Rockets rally from 19 points down and the brink of road elimination to secure a 119-107 win and send the series to a Game 7. The Rockets rolled up 40 points on the Clippers in the fourth quarter without even using James Harden, and it left Clippers guard Chris Paul to conclude, "Our defense was the biggest factor in the game."
When you've grown your game as fabulously as Blake Griffin and the Clippers have throughout these playoffs, there is a hope that you've risen above criticism.
When you collapse the way the Clippers did on Thursday night, though, everything is fair game.
Yes, it's unfair to nitpick when Griffin is having a historic playoff run, showing how his shooting, ball-handling, passing and overall game feel have improved.
He entered Game 6 as only the fourth player since 1986 who is 6'9" or taller to average at least 25 points while assisting on at least 25 percent of his team's points in the playoffs. The only others: Larry Bird in 1986, Tim Duncan in 2001 and Kevin Durant in 2013.
It prompted Kobe Bryant to salute Griffin on Twitter as the Clippers took control of the game:
But then the Clippers lost control in areas Griffin hasn't grown as much in as others: mental toughness, closing games, facing up and creating his own shots, defense.
Some of the very same issues cropped up in rough first-round moments against San Antonio, another full-length series that Griffin often dominated but in which Paul needed to push to get the Clippers to the finish.
Paul didn't have it on Thursday night, coming up short on two of his key jumpers during Houston's push. Griffin missed all five of his shots in the fourth quarter and committed three fouls. He also did some standing around on defense, as you'll notice from time to time from him—but for it to happen at this time was inexcusable.
And costly.
"Took our foot off the gas," Griffin muttered afterward. "Stopped defending. A lot of things. Got to be better."
There was a moment early in the fourth quarter when Griffin, who'd shaken off a tweaked left ankle late in the first half, returned from his brief rest and suddenly accelerated down the left side of the court in early offense. Griffin was looking for a lead pass to jam down on that pedal, but Jamal Crawford had the ball and just looked at Griffin with a let's-stay-calm expression and milked some clock with his dribble.
This is the same Crawford who went his first nine years in the NBA—597 games—without making the playoffs. Not necessarily his fault, of course, in a team game.
And Crawford is a very well-meaning guy who was sweet enough to go apologize to a ball boy before the game when Crawford's half-court heave came up short and beaned the unsuspecting rebounding helper.
But in that late-game situation, you want Griffin's will imposed on the game far more than Crawford's.
Griffin didn't give up. Shortly thereafter, he orchestrated the only good sequence of the late going for his team. He surveyed his options and found shooting guard J.J. Redick for three. Next time down, Griffin's presence inside kept Dwight Howard's attention so that Austin Rivers could sail in for an and-1 layup.
Then came Griffin's blocking foul as part of Corey Brewer's three-point play at the other end. And Paul came back into the game.
Griffin staggered to the finish just like his teammates.
Gone were the inspiring moments, such as Griffin's no-look flip shot or chase-down block off the backboard earlier. Gone was Griffin staying with Harden one-on-one after a switch and forcing a bad miss that deflated the Rockets in the third.
It is tough to deliver at both ends. One reason the Clippers haven't won this series by now is that Redick's defensive effort on Harden has begun to detract from Redick's dead-eye shooting.
Yet stars do it at both ends, covering for teammates' mistakes in the process—especially in playoff games, especially in the end to win playoff games.
Maybe Griffin doesn't have a natural-born killer in him and his faux-tough attitude rubs opponents the wrong way, but that stuff matters a lot less when someone is deeply invested in personal growth.
Griffin, 26, has improved so much that his postseason needs to be celebrated. In a league where everybody skews bigger because it's easier to bump up a position, Griffin is downshifting. Big guys simply don't learn how to do little-guy stuff. It's supposed to be too hard. Take the easy way out and enjoy the benefits of being big.
You happen to have the limited wingspan that Griffin does? Just say it's not in the cards for you to extend your short arm to hit jump shots over defenders. You've got a great power game, you've got insane leg strength. Just keep using that.
No, Griffin wanted more, and he has gotten it.
As disastrous as Game 6 was for the Clippers, two good things came out of the catastrophe.
First, they haven't lost yet. There remains Game 7, albeit in Houston, on Sunday.
Second, when you've got a guy who is inspiring people with his commitment to self-improvement, the shame of defeat drives him to obsess over the remaining damaging weaknesses.
Remember the important thing Griffin muttered.
It wasn't a throwaway line—it was his mantra.
"Got to be better."
Kevin Ding covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @KevinDing.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
