Key Takeaways from LA Clippers' Game 7 Loss

After looking like potential favorites in the Western Conference a week ago, the Los Angeles Clippers are once again exiting the NBA playoffs before the Western Conference Finals. On Sunday, the Clippers completed the collapse of a 3-1 series lead with a 113-100 loss to the Houston Rockets. The Game 7 loss made the Clippers just the ninth team in NBA history to lose a series after being up 3-1.

The Rockets controlled the game from start to finish. They got out to an early lead in the first quarter. Led by Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, the Clippers made several runs to stay in the game, but the Rockets were able to answer every time their lead was in serious jeopardy.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Houston shooting guard James Harden was the star of Game 7, rounding back into his regular-season form after struggling for most of the series. Harden didn't shoot the ball exceptionally well, but the Clippers couldn't keep him off the free-throw line, where he registered 15 of his 31 points. Los Angeles also had a tough time containing Trevor Ariza, who nailed six three-pointers on his way to a 22-point performance. 

Of all the Clippers' recent playoff failures, this year's has to be the most devastating. After blowing out Houston in Game 3 and Game 4, Los Angeles looked as poised as ever to reach its first conference finals in franchise history. However, a three-game debacle, including a blown 19-point lead in Game 6, led to yet another early playoff exit.

The loss to the Rockets must feel like deja vu for a team that always seems to be on the verge of entrenching itself among the NBA's elite but is never able to do so.

If they ever want to fulfill their claims of taking the title of "L.A.'s team" from the Lakers, the Clippers have to find a way to produce better results come playoff time. The collapse in this series proved that they aren't ready to do that yet.

Several Clippers players voiced their obvious frustration and disappointment with their team's performance in the series, including Paul, who has yet to make it out of the conference semifinals in his NBA career.

If there's anything to take from that press conference, it's that the Clippers players are clearly sick of their playoff-futility reputation. But in a Western Conference that features solid teams from top to bottom, Los Angeles may have to make some changes to finally get over that hump. 

The Clippers will have to decide if they're willing to offer center DeAndre Jordan a maximum-level contract to keep the core of Paul, Griffin and Jordan as the focal point of the franchise. If Jordan does return to Los Angeles, the Clippers will be at the forefront of teams adjusting to possible "Hack-a-Shaq" rule changes in the offseason.

Reports of a falling out between Paul and Jordan, per Bill Reiter of Fox Sports, could present an obstacle in the Clippers' offseason plans and possibly help persuade Jordan to go elsewhere. Other free agents in the 2015 class could help the Clippers build up much-needed depth, which could be crucial to breaking through the second-round wall they seem to run into every season.

Owner Steve Ballmer would likely make whatever financial commitment may be needed to bolster the Clippers lineup. If the team doesn't make some sort of change, it can expect more of the same in years to come.