LA Clippers: Just another obstacle before the Finals

The LA Clippers are going through the same Game 5 struggles. They will win the series but as things get tougher this kind of play can hurt them.

Bad luck comes from not taking the steps necessary to protect yourself. The LA Clippers were subjected to bad luck when they gave up a 16 point lead to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5.

The Nuggets are the Nuggets. Hey, this is the Western Conference Semifinals. Denver is doing what they did last round. The Utah Jazz looked like they had the Nuggets under wraps but they were able to fight out of it. LA has to avoid the same fate.

An LA battle will happen between the Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers. We all know that. The Lakers are waiting for the Clippers in the conference finals.

The Clippers have to draw inspiration from the Tortoise and the Hare. Slow and steady wins the race. In the loss against the Nuggets, you can tell they rushed. They looked ahead. The result? A lack of efficiency and an insurmountable lead vanished before our eyes.

Kawhi Leonard looked frustrated after the game and let the reporters know it.

“Just trying to win the basketball game. Next question,” Leonard said abruptly after being asked a question.

One more game. The Clippers aren’t ready yet to advance. This is the team’s first year together. LeBron James and the Lakers went through the struggle last year. This year they are Neo in The Matrix flying in Reloaded.

The Clippers are learning kung-fu. Why does the beginner win though? He learns from his peers and has a curious mind. The classic scene of Neo dodging bullets in The Matrix is a prime example.

The Clippers dodged a bullet in the first round and they will dodge a bullet in the second round. Third time’s the charm they say. There is little doubt the Clippers will win Game 6. There will be a time though where the Lakers are weak and they have to capitalize on it.

After two tries, the Clippers haven’t been successful. Will they learn the third time? That is what will decide who goes to the Finals. The bench hasn’t played well. They are the best reserves in the league though.

Disney has worn on the minds of the team as a collective unit. Things will get tougher. The Milwaukee Bucks are out. So are the defending champion Toronto Raptors. Nothing is going according to plan. What do the Clippers do when nothing works? They use their physicality to overpower teams.

Kawhi Leonard will power them through Game 6. The team as a whole will blitz the Lakers. In the Finals, the mental advantage over the Eastern Conference will guide the team to a victory.

“We’re in the driver’s seat,” George said after Game 5.

Little do the Clippers know that they’re in control of their fate. Their minds are the only thing that can stop them. Going 42.0 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three isn’t the stuff of champions.

In fact, it is why the Clippers even have great games. Efficiency is key to the game of basketball. The ball has to go through the basket, simple as that. How you do it is up to you. The teams with the most ways to score will win the game. This team has depth, superior defense and a physical style of play.

They need to learn rhythm and timing. The ball has to move. They need to win the games they have to. Those things define a champion. Basketball requires a lot of patience. The work that goes into becoming an NBA player will make you or break you.

Remembering that moment you gravitated to the NBA is what always makes you win. The thrill of winning is great but the sting of losing hurts. That hurt is what we don’t want to feel. If the LA Clippers want to close out Denver, they have to shed the bad luck.

How do they do that? Remember how you made it in the first place. Working hard and staying even keel. The Denver Nuggets are not an obstacle or in the way. They are life. If you are not able to overcome demons then moving on to the next level is rocky.

The Game 5 loss isn’t what the doctor ordered. To be blunt, it hurts. These three words hold true in life: never give up.