Worst moment in each NBA franchise’s history
By Brad Rowland
Los Angeles Clippers – Game 6 collapse in the 2015 Western Conference Semifinals
Throughout this column, I have tried desperately to remain in tune with history in an attempt to avoid overreacting to the recent past. However, Game 6 of the 2015 Western Conference Semifinals was an epic disaster for the Los Angeles Clippers, and it gets the nod in this space.
For reference, everything was going in the right direction for the Clippers before this happened, and people were penciling them in for a berth in the Western Conference Finals. Los Angeles led by as many as 19 points in the second half of Game 6, but the Clippers were outscored by a 40-15 (!) margin in the final period, included a 4-for-22 shooting mark and a -16 performance in rebounding margin.
To be fair, the Rockets were unbelievably unconscious in this spot, with offensive stalwarts (sarcasm font) Josh Smith and Corey Brewer combining for 29 points in the second half to help aid the comeback. Still, Los Angeles did everything possible to lose, and even future Hall of Famer Chris Paul collapsed woefully under the significant weight of the moment.
The Clippers have a lengthy list of missteps throughout franchise history. In this case, though, we only need to look back a few months for a moment of monumental failure, and this one fits the bill perfectly, as the Clippers fell short of the Conference Finals.
Next: LA Lakers