It was just two years ago when the Utah Jazz eliminated the LA Clippers in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs, culminating a disappointing year for a Clippers team which had staked its identity around a star-studded roster, and postseason letdowns.
This loss stung more than ever, as a fourth-seeded Clippers team lost to the fifth-seeded Jazz, once again losing a series they led, as they had in every year from 2013 to 2017. But it also was the final game for Lob City, as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both were expected to opt out of their contracts, and sharpshooting guard JJ Redick was a free agent.