The 2019-20 LA Clippers: Where it Went Wrong

Last night, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered the worst collapse in NBA history at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. The use of the word 'suffer' puts this situation too lightly. The Clippers are not the victims here. Just weeks ago they were favored to win the title and had one of the best rosters in the league at face value. Any half-decent team built around Kawhi and Paul George should be a lock for title contention, right? The answer to that question is still yes, but in typical Clippers fashion, the team fell short of expectations.

The problem with this Clippers team had nothing to do with lineup construction, coaching, or general talent. In fact, this team was among the best in the NBA of those three categories. The Clippers' struggles was about attitude and mindset, any other explanation will not be tolerated. With the right priorities in mind this team could've been generational. But no:

• Lou Williams risked compromising the entire NBA season

• The squad blamed their shortcomings on exhaustion despite load managing all season

• They focused on intimidation and building up a persona vs Dallas and Portland rather than simply winning

• They carried themselves like the multiyear champions they'll never be

The ego of this team was more noticeable than their talent. While that plays into the favor of certain guys like Beverley, it hurts the Paul Georges of the world who become overly scrutinized because of their boisterous presence. When the Clippers were good, they were the best team in the league. However, any form of adversity or challenge to their metaphorical crown caused them to crumble. You'd see arguments on the sidelines, finger pointing, and a general lack of urgency on both ends. That lack of urgency was prevalent against Dallas and Denver, two teams that just wanted it more. I feel like this whole article can be summarized with that point. Opponents wanted it more than the Clippers because the Clippers thought they already had it. It's a classic tale of arrogance being the doom of a team. There isn't a conceivable excuse for this team outside of that.

I think I'm comfortable in saying that the 2019-20 LA Clippers are the most disappointing team ever. That title is typically given to the 2003-04 Lakers with prime Shaq and Kobe + Karl Malone and Gary Payton. That team made the Finals. This team was frazzled by a 2nd year player and choked away a 3-1 lead to a team that barely made it out of their first round series. At least the Lakers got a good return on investment with that team.

Every party involved in the making of this Clippers team would've been better off in another direction.

• Kawhi likely makes the Finals if he stays with Toronto

• It looks like the Thunder clearly won the Paul George trade

• That fun Clippers identity of last season is now gone.

This "Title or Bust" season seems to be a complete wash now in retrospect. All eyes are on Lawrence Frank and Clippers management to ensure this disaster doesn't repeat itself. God only knows what's in store for this soap opera next year.