LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 14: Josh Smith #5 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after making a basket in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers during Game Six of the Western Conference semifinals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 14, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The Rockets won 119-107. 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 Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
NBABy Matt Yoder on

Here’s a newsflash. The Los Angeles Clippers blew it in the playoffs. They were the only higher seed to lose in the first round as they fell on their home floor in Game 7 to the Utah Jazz. Amazingly, it was the fifth consecutive year that the Clippers blew a lead in a playoff series.

If the Clippers hadn’t been through decades of not even making it to the playoffs, it would be one of the most infamous stretches in franchise history. Come to think of it, this stretch of constant disappointment probably still qualifies.

While this series against Utah may be the one that puts the final nail in the coffin of the Doc Rivers, Chris Paul, and Blake Griffin era for LA’s second team, there’s one series among these five that stand out against the others – 2015 versus the Houston Rockets.

That season was arguably the Clippers’ best chance to do something truly memorable. Up 3-1 in the series, they were on the verge of their first ever conference finals appearance. And after Game 3 and Game 4 where they won by a combined 58 points, it was over. The Clippers would challenge the Warriors for supremacy out west and the Rockets were finished. And if you dare, in addition to the tweets below, you can check out a Stephen A. Smith rant about the series here.

The Rockets technically did go home. They had to as they hosted Game 5 and they actually beat the Clippers by a score of 124-103. Still though, all these premature declarations looked pretty safe in Game 6. With the Clippers heading back home where they smoked the Rockets in Game 3 and Game 4, the series was still all but over. Game 6 was going according to form when the Rockets trailed by 19 points with just over 2 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

https://twitter.com/daviddtss/status/599068889415290880

https://twitter.com/patmuldowney/status/599069186766327808

https://twitter.com/hamzaabdullah21/status/599069387996311552

https://twitter.com/nifmuhammad/status/599070575210921985

That’s when the Rockets staged one of the more remarkable comebacks in postseason history, or the Clippers staged one of the most remarkable collapses… it all depends on if you view life’s glass as half-empty or half-full. What made the remarkable comeback/collapse even more remarkabler (that’s a word, right?) was the fact that Houston did it without James Harden. Houston’s heroes? The unlikely combo of Josh Smith and Corey Brewer. The pair combined for 30 points in the fourth quarter, yes, THIRTY POINTS, as Houston outscored LAC 40-15, and forced a shocking Game 7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS-4u6LkW7A

Of course we all know what happened next. The Rockets completed the 3-1 comeback before LeBron James made it famous and would go on to the conference finals after a 113-100 Game 7 victory. While Houston’s stock has continued to rise as they just took Game 1 from the Spurs in this year’s conference semis, the Clippers have still not gotten over the hump and will be watching the later round of the playoffs from home once again.

About Matt Yoder

View all posts by Matt Yoder