Clippers’ history repeats, as they blow 19-point lead in a Game 6 in conference semifinal loss

  • Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (27) looks for a foul call after contact by Los Angeles Clippers’ Marcus Morris Sr. (31) while shooting during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Los Angeles Clippers’ JaMychal Green, left, shoots as Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (15) defends during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  • Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers, center, talks with JaMychal Green (4) during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Los Angeles Clippers’ Lou Williams (23) shoots as Denver Nuggets’ Gary Harris (14) defends during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (2) watches his shot against the Denver Nuggets during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (2) goes up for a shot as Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic (15) and Torrey Craig (3) defend during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, right, comes down with the ball as Denver Nuggets’ Paul Millsap defends during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Los Angeles Clippers’ Patrick Beverley (21) celebrates after making a basket against the Denver Nuggets during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, right, yells at referee Kane Fitzgerald, left, after being given a technical foul during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (27) goes up for a shot as Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (27) brings the ball up the court against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (27) goes up for a shot as Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George defends during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. (1) celebrates after making a 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Paul Millsap (4) looks to pass the ball as Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George (13) and Marcus Morris Sr. defend during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. (1) celebrates with Torrey Craig (3) during a timeout in the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray, right, celebrates with Monte Morris (11) after an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball against the Los Angeles Clippers game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Nuggets won 111-98. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. (1) celebrates with Torrey Craig (3) during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Nuggets won 111-98. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

  • Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, left, and Jamal Murray hug after an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Nuggets won 111-98. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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Before Game 6, Doc Rivers said he hadn’t given much thought to what happened in 2015: “This has nothing to do with that,” he said.

Whether or not he was thinking about his team’s collapse five years ago in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series, history had a mind to repeat.

The Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan version of the Clippers were up 3-1 against the Houston Rockets, just one victory away from advancing to the franchise’s first conference final series.

They’d dropped Game 5 that series, but they again were at history’s doorstep, ahead comfortably — by 19 points.

But then the Rockets launched themselves on a 24-2 run as the Clippers scored only seven points in the final 7:29, falling 119-107 as the series extended to Game 7, when Houston went on to eliminate L.A.

On Sunday, in another Game 6, with another conference finals berth in the balance, the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George version of the Clippers were again in control, leading by 19 points. But then Denver outscored them by 32 points down the stretch.

In so doing, the Nuggets — who’d trailed 3-1 in the series — forced an anything-can-happen Game 7, into which they’ll enter with the wind at their backs, and the Clippers’ backs against the wall.

Although Rivers said before this most recent Game 6 letdown that experiences like 2015 taught him to resist reacting for reaction’s sake, and that it’s mostly a matter of having the discipline to keep doing the right thing, he tried to fix some wrongs in-game Sunday. He ran JaMychal Green at center and played Reggie Jackson his first meaningful minutes in three games.

“Sometimes we’re down and you just try to go with someone,” Rivers said. “One thing Reggie has done is he’s shown the ability to make shots. He struggles in other areas, but he does have that ability. And at the time when you put Reggie in, we needed someone to make a shot because we weren’t doing that … and (Green) was terrific tonight overall for us.”

And, Rivers suggested, with no more room for error, there’d be more adjustments to come before Game 7.

“Thank God it’s an afternoon game,” he said of Sunday’s loss. “Got the rest of the day. Got time to prepare tomorrow and get ready for the next game.”

Doc Rivers tells @DanWoikeSports that he’s not thinking about the Clippers team that gave up a 3-1 series lead in 2015: “This has nothing to do with that.” (Vid: @kylegoon) pic.twitter.com/igTddLQUuB

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) September 12, 2020

TURNING POINTS

There’s no telling what will prove the pivotal point in a playoff game.

From Denver’s perspective, the tide in Game 5 shifted just before halftime, when Paul Millsap and Marcus Morris Sr. got to jawing at each other. That got Millsap going for 14 of his playoff-high 17 points in the third quarter, providing the spark the Nuggets needed as they rallied for a 111-105 victory.

From Rivers’ point of view, the trajectory of Game 6 changed when Denver guard Jamal Murray went crashing to the floor after having his shot blocked by Paul George — who got up after the play and promptly sank a 3-pointer to increase the Clippers’ lead to 68-49, the largest it got.

“Listen, I thought once Murray went down with that injury, from that point on, the game, the complexion of the game completely changed,” Rivers said, noting that the Clippers’ physicality waned after that sequence, when Patrick Beverley was the first player to check on Murray, who remained on the ground, the wind knocked out of him.

“We were attacking and we were getting into the paint, and from that point on, if you look at that point on it was a reverse of script. I used all my timeouts just to try to get us to play the way we play each game to get these leads.”

Murray couldn’t say whether his fall constituted a turning point.

“I have no clue,” said Murray, who remained in the game and finished with 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting. “I was in too much pain to think about that. I just thought my team played great.”

Nikola Jokic, though, reflected on Murray’s determination in that moment.

“Even if he have a broken rib or whatever, he’s going to continue for sure,” Jokic said. “Whatever will happen, he’s not going to just leave the team just like that. I mean, something serious needs to be that he don’t finish the game.”

And over the next 22 minutes, Murray and the Nuggets finished strong.

Paul George with the block and then the three. pic.twitter.com/lFLfferfg1

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) September 13, 2020

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