• The 2014 Playoffs saw the OKC Thunder and the Los Angeles Clippers matchup in the second round of the playoffs
• The Thunder won the series 4-2, with Game 5 being a particularly bad loss for the Clippers
• Kevin Durant and JJ Redick reflected on that Game 5 and how the Clippers choked the win
The 2014 Western Conference Playoffs saw the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Los Angeles Clippers in a highly-anticipated second-round series.
The Thunder ended up winning in six games against a Clippers team that was expected to take a 3-2 lead in Game 5. However, they blew an 11-point lead to lose the game. Kevin Durant and JJ Redick reflected on that series and discussed Chris Paul’s role in that collapse.
JJ Redick: “We’re in OKC for Game 5, we’re up 11.”
Kevin Durant: “We’re playing horribly.”
JJ Redick: “With a little over 4 minutes to go, we just have an uber meltdown.”
Kevin Durant: “We’re looking at the clock and not making any shots that whole game. I was probably like 6/22.”
JJ Redick: “All we’re thinking about is like, let’s run the clock out. They take the ball out of bounds and Kevin hits a three off the inbound.”
Kevin Durant: “I was damn near open. I was like, ‘Damn that’s a good look right there.'”
JJ Redick: “Then CP dribbled and Russ went to foul him. All he had to do was dribble one more time. The ball went out on Reggie Jackson, but they gave you the ball.”
Kevin Durant: “I don’t think it went out on Reggie.”
JJ Redick: “Then CP fouled Russ on a three.”
Kevin Durant: “That was a crazy attempt. When he pulled up for that I was like, ‘Woah, I can’t believe CP made these two bad decisions this late.’ The game was in hand. Y’all had that one.”
JJ Redick: “That was the lowest, we went through some lows with the Clippers. That bus ride to the airport, that was as low as I have ever seen CP.”
Paul put up just 17 points, while Russell Westbrook put up 38. Durant had 27 points but with a lot of late daggers to bring the Thunder back into the game. Redick had solid 16 points on the night.
The Clippers Never Became The Contender They Were Supposed To Be
That 2014 run the Clippers had was one of their best chances at making the Western Conference Finals. They out-talented the Thunder with their roster, also featuring Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t put it together and managed to whimper out in Game 6.
They would lose to the Warriors in 2015, which virtually signaled the end of their promising run as Lob City. The team would disintegrate soon but find their way back, making the Conference Finals for the first time in 2021.
The Kawhi Leonard and Paul George era hasn’t delivered a championship, but maybe 2024 is their year if they can get their hands on James Harden.
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