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What Season Has Been Best for Doc Rivers with the LA Clippers?

By Ethan Smith

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 18: Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and new owner of the Clippers Steve Ballmer address the media after Ballmer was introduced for the first time during Los Angeles Clippers Fan Festival at Staples Center on August 18, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 18: Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and new owner of the Clippers Steve Ballmer address the media after Ballmer was introduced for the first time during Los Angeles Clippers Fan Festival at Staples Center on August 18, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 07: Head Coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on April 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 07: Head Coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center on April 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

3. 2014-2015 Season – Josh Smith….. Really?

Oh, the 2014-2015 season. The Clippers had everything going right. Chris Paul hit a game-winner over future Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan to beat a solid Spurs team that was arguably one of the best six seeds of all-time and the Clippers were up 3-1 on the Rockets.

Yes, being up 3-1 usually means sure victory and losing game five in Houston by 21 was a means of ending it at home in game six and securing the first Western Conference Finals bid in team history right? Well, no, it wasn’t.

Behind the hands of Josh Smith, Dwight Howard, James Harden and Corey Brewer, the Rockets outscored LA 40-15 in the fourth quarter at Staples Center after trailing by 20+ and by double-digits for most of the second half. The Clippers would then lose game seven in Houston after just looking physically and mentally drained and the thought of competing with Golden State went out the window.

So, even after a terrible ending, why does this Doc Rivers season not rank last? Well, it was the closest the Clippers came to the Western Conference Finals throughout his tenure, he won the second-most games he’d won with the team with 56 and he kept the team in the top-three of the West for much of the season.

That is a solid campaign especially after the mess that was Donald Sterling and the entering of new owner Steve Ballmer. Doc did amazing work in 14-15, he just fell short when he needed to come through the most.

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