Written by Liam Boylan Pett at SB Nation.com
Injuries aren’t supposed to mar the NBA Playoffs, but year after year they do. Last season, injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving left the Cleveland Cavaliers at less than full strength. Before that, Russell Westbrook going down ruined any chance of the Oklahoma City Thunder had of winning a title. Going even further back, an Isiah Thomas ankle injury kept the Pistons from winning their first title in 1989.
Injuries are a fact life and a part of the sport, but it doesn’t make them any easier to accept. And after Chris Paul left the Los Angeles Clippers’ Game 4 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers with a third metacarpal fracture in his right hand on the same day Stephen Curry was diagnosed with a sprained MCL, all that’s left to do is feel bad.
For the Clippers, this was their chance to break through. With Curry out for at least a few games of their series against the Golden State Warriors, they were on the right side of luck. Instead, they now look worse off than the Warriors.
While Golden State was able to rally behind their injured star against a Houston Rocketsteam that seemingly wants nothing to do with the playoffs, the Clippers are facing a young and hungry team in Portland that is going to take advantage of the opportunity that has been put in front of them.
Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are going to go at the Clippers, and, should they advance, they’re not going to slow down against the Warriors, either. They should do that. They should make the most of the chance they’ve been given.
The Clippers are lost without Paul, and on top of that they have a hobbled Blake Griffindoing his best to make a difference — but it’s not working.
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