Round 3, Game 1: Clippers at Suns, June 20 12:30 PM PCT

[Wammy Giveaway]

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In 2011, the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the 2nd round by future NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, the lasting image being of one Andrew Bynum clotheslining J.J. Barea during a layup attempt. The Laker's nature of their unceremonious exit may have influenced then-commissioner David Stern to veto a trade that would have had Chris Paul donning a purple and gold jersey. With his close connection to former owner Donald Sterling, Stern felt it was time for another team of Los Angeles to wear the city's crown. The pairing of Paul with Clipper's no. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin and the founding of Lob City ushered in a new Clipper era, an era of winning. But it didn't. Sure, there was Pacific Division championships and a sextet of playoff appearances, but when it came to going to the western conference finals, there was always "something".

The Clippers "past", "curse", "karma", or whatever word you wanna put here, did not like that they were starting to win, so sabotage they did. Finals MVP Chauncey Billups suffered an Achilles injury that derailed Lob City's season debut. They had a bad coach in Vinny Del Negro. They failed to take a lottery team seriously, resulting in the Golden State Warrior's rise to dominance. Sterling's racist tape scandal nearly played a huge role in the Clipper's 1st round exit to the Warriors. They had a 3-1 collapse to the Rockets, and briefly lost longest tenured Clipper DeAndre Jordan to the Mavericks. The punching incident turned Blake Griffin evil. Season after season after season, there was always something that got in the way of their path to the western conference finals. No matter what kind of freakish injury, catastrophic collapse, or scathing scandal that popped up, the one common factor behind the Clipper's tendency to screw themselves up when it matter most was this: "they just wanted to be loved." When it came time to choosing between love and champions after their third series loss to the Utah Jazz, and the Clippers were unwilling to decide, Paul chose for them: he wanted out. An out that would see their ex-savior join the Houston Rockets for an easier path to his first ring.

Paul's stay in Houston finally gave him the conference finals visit he sorely lacked in his resume, breaking an all-time record of playoff games played without a conference finals visit. But it came with a huge price. Throughout his NBA career, one of flopping, whining, cheapshots, belittling referees like Scott Foster and Lauren Holtkamp, and driving teammates crazy, he mostly avoided getting ejected from games. But one night versus the Lakers, arch nemesis Rajon Rondo did what no other player in the league could - bait Paul into a punch that would see him ejected from a regular season game and suspended for the first time in his career. Rondo exposed Paul as the evil player he and other pundits saw him as, and following the Rocket's 2nd round exit to Warriors, Houston shipped Paul to the Thunder, a team on the angle of rebuilding, exiled from competing for championships ever again.

While in Oklahoma City, Paul finally realized what he had done. His nice-guy image and reputation, his Hall Of Fame legacy, all ruined by a punch. Instead of wallowing in self pity, Paul helmed control and full responsibility, vowing to bring a lottery team into the playoffs, and he did, helping push the Thunder to a Game 7 against his former team Rockets. Paul was also behind the resumption of the 2019-2020 NBA Season after it was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to install protocols that other sports establishments use in their resumptions. Paul's redemption season was founded behind rehabilitation, turning dysfunctional franchises like his former Clippers into stable ones, a talent that Phoenix admired wholeheartedly and sought to fix.

Not only did the Suns become an overnight contender, in the playoffs Paul found himself on a tour of vengeance: the Lakers for being the team who jump started Paul's journeyman stage, followed by the Nuggets for a Game 4 53-point massacre. It's no secret that the Clipper's third round opponent will be the one who harbors the most hate of them all. Paul felt disillussioned by the Clipper's change of direction, starting with the acquisition of the Logo Jerry West. Doc River's reputation as championship coach was also put into discussion. Rajon Rondo is now on the Clippers. It all adds up: Chris Paul now believes the Clippers are ultimately responsible for his tarnished reputation and banishment from competition. What better way to win your first championship then to get your revenge on the very team you helped create.

The Clippers, the first team in NBA history to come back from 0-2 deficits twice in the same playoffs to finally make their first ever conference finals appearance, have no idea what Paul must be feeling. To be gifted one of the greatest point guards since Magic Johnson and Isaiah Thomas, only to let him down with some of the most upsetting, embarassing and humiliating moments in postseason history. Paul's string of bad luck in the playoffs continues with a positive COVID-19 result that may hold him out for at least a game. The Clipper's history of loyalty over its former players, especially those who've changed their culture, may weigh heavily over them to the point they are reluctant to defeat their savior. It would be a bad look for a franchise who's mission statement was changed from being loved to winning championships. The repurcussions behind laying a red carpet for Chris Paul's path to a ring are enormous, from the media calling them out as "quitters" to the Lakers having the last laugh. What if losing to Paul prompts the team getting broken up, despite finally having a breakthrough?

The only way the Clippers can prevent the worst case scenario is to win it all. Chris Paul may have done a lot of great things to make the Clippers relevant, but it's all in the past. They have Kawhi Leonard, the Clipper's own Tim Duncan who can teach them how to block out distraction and play for the greater good. Sacrificing for the greater good goes beyond playing time or a lesser role. It also means not letting your personal emotions and attachments of players and coaches you once loved get in the way. So much is at stake.

Will the Clippers have the heart to break Chris Paul's, even if it hurts theirs? Find out.

[mttwlsn16]

Clips by 14

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[MartinToVaught]

This is such a blatant "schedule loss" on paper that I honestly expect the Clippers to pull a win out of their ass instead.

[Kelphus]

Phoenix is 4 point favorites... CP3 AND Kawhi both out of game 1. Vegas is wrong. Momentum is all Clippers right now

It's not a schedule loss. Suns haven't played in over a week, rust may be more their problem.

Let's see if Suns try to go big to frustrate our small ball format.

[clipperlover]

Phoenix is 4 point favorites... CP3 AND Kawhi both out of game 1. Vegas is wrong. Momentum is all Clippers right now

It's not a schedule loss. Suns haven't played in over a week, rust may be more their problem.

Let's see if Suns try to go big to frustrate our small ball format.

Ty will be ready and will use Zubac and Boogie because they are well rested. I think the Clippers bigs can get under Ayton's skin. Lue couldo come out with a different game plan than Phoenix has seen.

[NickP]

Last time I checked the sun still rises in the east then why the f*** are we playing before the East game?
Screw you Adam Silver!

[mttwlsn16]

I'm feeling a father's day dub today!

Happy Father's day to all the fellow dads out there. You included, Quake. Congrats!

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[SK21209]

It’s absurd that we’re going to play 2 games of this series before ECF even starts. Regardless, we probably have a better chance of stealing one tonight than on Tuesday with CP3 potentially back. I have a feeling Rondo will be heard from in this series.

[Clemenza]

We're taking game 1. With Kawhi out PG & Mann combo becomes a thing. Ty Lue has been the master orchestrater and will continue to do so. Reggie, Morris, Batum have to play well and we'll need something from Kennard and Rondo in this series. Lets Go!

[MartinToVaught]

Looks like we're sticking with small ball today, at least to start off. Not sure it will work nearly as well against Ayton, but we'll see.

[ducler]

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[Neddy]

I'm feeling a father's day dub today!

Happy Father's day to all the fellow dads out there. You included, Quake. Congrats!

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Quake had a kid? congrats, DADs!

[Neddy]

rebounding is so far, predictably lacking a bit, but PG is starting well, hope he can keep this up all night

[TheNewEra]

Keep pressure

[MartinToVaught]

Not a bad start, got to do a little better with rebounding, though.

[SK21209]

The Suns aren’t going to just concede corner threes to Ayton’s man like the Jazz did with Gobert. We should be able to get more looks in the paint though.

[MartinToVaught]

This has been a great game by PG so far!

[Neddy]

gotta love PatBev!

[og15]

Looks like we're sticking with small ball today, at least to start off. Not sure it will work nearly as well against Ayton, but we'll see.

I think it's good to stick with what has been working, see what it looks like, then tinker as necessary.

[og15]

The Suns aren’t going to just concede corner threes to Ayton’s man like the Jazz did with Gobert. We should be able to get more looks in the paint though.

Ayton also was statistically pretty good at contesting shots outside