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LA Clippers: 5 lessons to learn from last year’s playoff failure

By Seth Kimbrell

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Signage at Staples Center on February 05, 2021 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 05: Signage at Staples Center on February 05, 2021 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 Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) /
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LA Clippers Paul George
LA Clippers Paul George (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

LA Clippers playoff lesson #2: Regular season performance doesn’t matter

Last year, the LA Clippers played the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets three times each. The Mavs never managed to take a game from the Clips, and the Nuggets only won one out of the three matchups.

Then, come playoffs time, the Dallas Mavericks pushed us to six games, and the Denver Nuggets managed the comeback we’re all tired of hearing about to win in seven games.

One loss combined vs. Dallas and Denver in the regular season, in six total games, then six losses combined in thirteen games in the postseason. We can’t use the regular season results when considering how the Clips will fare against a certain team in the playoffs.

Also. 1 Advantage Over Each Potential 1st Round Team. light

This is a two-way street, though; it isn’t just a “don’t get too cocky” statement. Certainly, if the Clips face off against the Trail Blazers in the first round, they shouldn’t look at the 3-0 record in the regular season and just write them off. That’s an invitation for the clock to read Dame Time.

But on the other hand, should the Nuggets or Mavericks face off against us, it doesn’t mean very much to say “oh, we lost the season series 1-2, we’re really behind the eight ball on this one.”

Those would, of course, be tough matchups that we should take very seriously, but the regular season results just don’t matter much in that sort of calculus.

When the playoffs start, the Clippers need to just ignore the results of the games they’ve already played. Look at how different schemes worked, and what got us the easiest shots. But don’t think “we handled this team fine in February; this won’t be a problem.”

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