They gave it a hellacious run, but the L.A. Clippers were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday when they were blown out at home by the Denver Nuggets. Doc Rivers and his staff have done a marvelous job this season, all things considered, but the combination of relentless injuries and just a general talent disparity proved too much to overcome.
An awful lot has changed since the team broke camp in Hawaii last fall. The Clippers were eager to exceed expectations despite the loss of Chris Paul, and I feel safe in suggesting that this team would’ve easily made the playoffs had they stayed relatively healthy.