Scoop: Look, I had the Clippers winning it all last year. Now I understand the role all of the drama (Donald Sterling, etc.) played in the reality of that not happening. To me, you all deserve a pass. Because of that, I felt it only fair to roll with the Clips one more time. But I need you to tell me, once the playoffs start, outside of any unforeseen season-altering distractions, what's going to be different this year?
Crawford: Honestly, I think another year together, that only helps. I think another year under Doc's system helps. I think now the pain of how we lost last year and what we went through, that pain will fuel us when it's time. I know, because of that, coming into this season everyone expected us to be like world beaters and come out and go 60-22.
I think people were down on us to start the season and now are like, "OK, they are coming," but we've had the same record as last year pretty much this whole season. So honestly, for us, I think even if we did go 65-17 people would still be like, "OK, but we need to see what they are going to do in the playoffs." We've graduated to that, to being one of those teams where people are like, "OK, they've won 17 [games] in a row, they've won 60 games, now what are they gonna do when it counts?" We've graduated to being one of those teams that is going to be judged by our playoff success.
So that's what it's going to come down to. And we feel when we are right, we can play with anybody. Anybody, East, West, it doesn't matter. Obviously all roads have to go through San Antonio until someone knocks them off, but to us, we feel when we're rolling at our best and any other team is at their best, we feel we are right there with whomever.
Scoop: What about the greatest flaw?
Crawford: Honestly, at times I think we get a little complacent and we play to the level of our competition. That's why you'll see us and we'll go and beat a Utah team on their home court, then go lose to New Orleans, and that Utah team will beat Golden State the next night. Then we'll go beat San Antonio by 20 on their court, then we'll lose to Brooklyn. You know what I'm saying? We'll show against the best [that] we can be one of the best, then we'll also show that we do play to the level of our competition. And you can't mess with the game like that.
