Clipperholics
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Doc Rivers Has Run Out of Time With the LA Clippers

By Benjamin Criswell

Feb 1, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 21, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers players pose with jerseys at press conference at Staples Center. From left: Branden Dawson (22), DeAndre Jordan (6), Austin Rivers (25), coach Doc Rivers and Josh Smith (5), Cole Aldrich (45), Paul Pierce (34) and Wesley Johnson (33). Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 21, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers players pose with jerseys at press conference at Staples Center. From left: Branden Dawson (22), DeAndre Jordan (6), Austin Rivers (25), coach Doc Rivers and Josh Smith (5), Cole Aldrich (45), Paul Pierce (34) and Wesley Johnson (33). Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Clippers History

For three consecutive seasons (2014-2016), the LA Clippers were the only team in the league to produce at least two players selected to an All-NBA team.

In 2015, the Clippers became only the second team in history to have three players selected to an All-NBA team in the same season (Seattle became the first in 1995, and are now joined by the 2017 Warriors).

More from Clipperholics

Clipper fans remember the 2014-2015 season well. Having three players selected to an All-NBA team was, however, the footnote at the bottom of a blown 3-1 lead. 2015 was the year Doc should have been fired.

Blowing a 3-1 lead happens. It happened twice in the NBA and once in the World Series just last year. OKC blew their 3-1 lead against a 73-win Warrior team, then that Warrior team blew their own 3-1 lead against Cleveland, and then Cleveland returned the favor by blowing their 3-1 lead in the World Series against the Cubs. It happens, and there are very good reasons why it does happen, but there is no explanation why LAC lost that 3-1 lead.

It wasn’t just that the LA Clippers lost that series to Houston. It wasn’t just that they were up three games to one. It was how it happened. To this day, I am still not sure what exactly went so terribly wrong for the Clippers. What allowed Houston to come back from a 19-point deficit to force a game seven? What happened to a team with three All-NBA performers to produce such a monumental collapse?

 

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