Houston Rockets: L.A. Clippers Didn’t Take Them Seriously In Playoffs

By Duncan Smith | Oct 7, 2015

May 17, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives the ball around Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) during the second quarter in game seven of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

New information about the Houston Rockets second round opponent in the Western Conference playoffs last season came to light on Tuesday. Grantland’s Zach Lowe wrote a piece on the Los Angeles Clippers in which it was revealed that the team didn’t take the Rockets seriously as a playoff opponent.

Clippers head coach Doc Rivers admitted to Lowe that even during prep work during that series, players weren’t focusing on the Rockets like they did against their opponent in the first round, the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: Every NBA Team’s Mount Rushmore

"Rivers says his team didn’t take Houston seriously. He had to repeat himself in film sessions and walk-throughs. “San Antonio got our full attention,” Rivers says. “The Rockets, for whatever reason, didn’t.”"

More from Houston Rockets

An anonymous player confirmed Rivers’ assertion, telling Lowe that after the Clippers took a 3-1 lead, “We never thought we could lose three in a row to them.”

It’s a surprising revelation from a team who has been part of historic comebacks, and players like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin personally experienced one of them when the Clippers themselves rallied from 27 points down (and 24 points down in the fourth quarter) to the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2012 playoffs to come back and win.

That was a series that the Clippers went on to win thanks to their historic rally, so one might think that if any team would know enough to put their foot firmly on the throat of a dangerous opponent (like the Western Conference’s second seed, as the Rockets were a season ago) when you have them down, it would be these Clippers.

However, as we all know, the Clippers didn’t close the Rockets out last season. Houston made their fourth-quarter rally from down 19 in Game 6 and went on to soundly defeat the Clippers at home in Game 7.

It’s an oversight the Clippers regret to this day. Guard Jamal Crawford mourned letting the Rockets up off the mat. “I’m in my 16th year, and that was my best chance ever at getting to the Finals,” he told Lowe.

Doc Rivers added one more parting shot in the article.

"“You need luck in the West,” he says. “Look at Golden State. They didn’t have to play us or the Spurs. But that’s also a lesson for us: When you have a chance to close, you have to do it.”"

While the Rockets were an injury-riddled squad most of last season, it’s up for debate whether the Golden State Warriors were “lucky” to play the Rockets instead of the Clippers. He’s right about one thing though. There is no excuse when you have the chance the Clippers had last season and don’t close.

It’s safe to say that there may be some excerpts from this article hanging on bulletin boards around the Houston locker room when the Rockets and Clippers have their first meeting this season on Nov. 7.

Next: 25 Best Players To Play for the Houston Rockets

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Houston Rockets