LA Clippers guard Lou Williams was clearly annoyed after his crew fell quick in Recreation 7 of the Western Convention semifinals by the hands of the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets outlasted the Clippers over a seven recreation sequence, overcoming the 3-1 deficit to win the sequence 4-3. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic led the best way for Denver high-powered offense, but it surely was the Clippers offense that faltered within the largest moments. Williams had all the things to do with that.
Lou Williams didn’t have a superb postseason by any stretch, averaging simply 12.eight factors, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 42.5 p.c capturing from the sector. He was persistently picked on defensively, and whereas he did have a couple of good offensive and defensive outings, it wasn’t sufficient to offset the dangerous ones.
Notably towards the Nuggets, Williams averaged simply 10 factors 3.zero rebounds, and 4.1 assists per recreation on simply 35.Four p.c capturing from the sector. Within the sequence, he made simply three of his 27 makes an attempt from past the arc, together with an enormous one in Recreation 5 that might’ve given the Clippers the lead.
“Yeah, we’re pissed off,” Lou Williams stated postgame. “Easy and plain. We’re pissed off. We had been up 3-1. We had two alternatives to win this sequence and we didn’t. We didn’t shut it out. So we’re pissed off. We sit up for the chance to get again on the ground collectively.
“You bought to offer credit score them credit score, as properly. I imply, Jamal Murray, these final two sequence, he’s performed out of his thoughts. You give a man credit score. He put that crew on his again. Jokic put that crew on his again and people guys put themselves able to win”
Regardless of being up 3-1 within the sequence and holding a 16-point third quarter lead in Recreation 5, a 19-point third quarter lead in Recreation 6, and a 12-point second quarter lead in Recreation 7, the Clippers’ offense got here to a halt in second halves. Over the ultimate three video games, LA was outscored 181-117 in second halves as Denver made comeback after comeback to win the sequence.
“We got here up quick,” Williams added. “You recognize, we got here up quick. We simply briefly we had a dialog already amongst guys that we’ve obtained a fast turnaround. We perceive that is going to be a fast low season and let’s get again to work and proceed to construct. You recognize, we did have championship expectations. We had the expertise to do it. I don’t assume we had the chemistry to do it and it confirmed. We had lapses on protection and offense the place I feel guys that performed in techniques the place they had been anticipated guys to be in sure spots offensively, lots of totally different guys made changes. You recognize, it confirmed.
“However on the finish of the day, we had been up 3-1 and we had two alternatives to win video games. We had been up 20 factors and we should always have closed this deal out and we didn’t. So that you give credit score to Denver for persevering with to play. And like I stated, we take our lumps and we maintain shifting.”
Lou Williams on the loss being a motivating issue – “We’re pissed off. Easy and plain. We’re pissed off. We had been up 3-1, we had 2 alternatives to win this sequence and we didn’t, so we’re pissed off.
Lou provides that they’re pissed at themselves, however offers Denver credit score. pic.twitter.com/GlAqPIG7Vc
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) September 16, 2020
The Clippers now head in the direction of the dreaded offseason, the place they’ll definitely look to make a couple of roster strikes and enhance in preparation for the 2020-21 season, which is predicted to begin someday in early 2021.
The 33-year previous Lou Williams, who turns 34 in a bit of over a month, can be getting into the ultimate yr of a three-year, $24 million extension he signed with the Clippers again in 2018.
