The Clippers beat the Warriors at Oracle Arena again, winning Game 5 on Wednesday, 129-121, to stay alive in the 3-2 series going back to Los Angeles. Kevin Durant had a career playoff high 45 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Clips shot 54 percent from the floor with 10 total turnovers. Lou Williams 33 overall, and 11 in the crucial fourth.
When is Kevin Durant going to get some help?
We have that and more in Thursday’s NBA newsletter.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Why is this happening? Why are the Warriors having so much trouble putting the No. 8 seed away? The biggest reason has nothing to do with Golden State or its chemistry or its lack of urgency or its exhaustion after four straight NBA Finals runs or its general ennui with coming end of the dynasty. The biggest reason is the Clippers are really darn good. You usually don’t win 48 games on accident.
LA surprised us by being a playoff contender last year after trading Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, and (in midseason) Blake Griffin. The team was even better this season, traded Tobias Harris midway through, and kept it up. There is just a lot of evidence here that this team, this collection of players and coaches is really, really good.
Lou Williams is a nightmare cover, Montrezl Harrell is the platonic ideal of the type of he has become, Danilo Gallinari is nice, Patrick Beverley is nasty, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet have no business being this good as rookies, JaMychal Green does stuff, and Doc Rivers is one of the greatest coaches of his generation. It all adds up to something real nice.
The Warriors have Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and two more all-stars. This shouldn’t matter. But it does, and Durant (+2 in 41 minutes, Warriors were -10 in the seven minutes he sat) can’t do it alone. Now the Rockets get to rest while the Warriors have to head back to LA (where they won Games 3 and 4) to grind with Bev and the Clips some more. This is not how they wanted this series to go.
Scores
Jazz 93, Rockets 100
Houston wins series 4-1
Clippers 129, Warriors 121
Golden State leads 3-2
Schedule
Nuggets at Spurs, 8 ET, TNT
Denver leads series 3-2
Quick lookahead so you can plan your Avengers: Endgame and/or wholesome outdoor activity outing: Game 6 of Warriors-Clippers will be Friday night. Saturday will feature either Nuggets-Spurs Game 7 or Nuggets-Blazers Game 1 plus Game 1 of Raptors-Sixers. Sunday will give us either Warriors-Clippers Game 7 or Warriors-Rockets Game 1 plus Game 1 of Celtics-Bucks at 1 ET. And also the most hyped TV battle episode ever.
Links
Houston won another really ugly game to clinch their series with the Jazz. Utah had a great season and a flat, disappointing playoffs. I will be so glad to not see Utah’s defensive gameplan again. (Please don’t adopt it Golden State.)
Dame Time! A rundown of every clutch Damian Lillard shot ever. (There are a lot.) Was Dame’s shot bad according to philosophies? In defense of bad shots. Every angle of the shot. Chris Haynes had the lede of the century in his Dame piece. Redefining what a good shot is.
And the other side ... Zito Madu on Russell Westbrook’s inability to overcome Russell Westbrook. Me on the Thunder’s future and the allure of running it back. Dan Devine on buying time.
An argument that the Kings should part ways with Luke Walton given the type of defense his lawyer seems to be employing.
The Nets’ rise from laughingstock to respected franchise is truly amazing. Other franchises have no excuses.
Detroit’s playoff crowds prove the city just wants a decent basketball team to root for.
Be excellent to each other.
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