Curses
Not again…
The Los Angeles Clippers Game 3 victory came at a price as they’ve just learned Blake Griffin will miss the remainder of the playoffs with a toe injury. This is now the second straight season that Griffin will miss the playoffs due to an injury. Last season, it was a left quad injury in combination with an injury to Chris Paul that spelled the end of the Clippers season in the first round. This season looks like it may follow the same trend. The Clippers went 11-10 without Griffin in the lineup during the regular season.
Of course any news of injury or underachievement for the Clippers must include talk of the Clippers curse. Since Chris Paul arrived in Los Angeles in December of 2011, the Clippers have always failed to live up to their lofty expectations. Vinny Del Negro coached them to 50-win seasons, but couldn’t get them past the second round. Doc Rivers was supposed to be the coach to get them to the Finals, but their second round ceiling has yet to break. Furthermore, the Clippers have lost in spectacular fashion. They’ve blown a 3-1 lead, they’ve let a series against the Thunder slip from their grasp and injuries have derailed their playoff momentum on multiple occasions. And with Griffin able to opt out of his contract and explore free agency, this could be the end of the Lob City era for the Clippers. This has been the greatest era in Clippers franchise and yet they have nothing to show for it. It seems that no matter what the Clippers will always be the Clippers.
