Chris Paul Takes Blame for Final Loss
(Chris) Paul had one more chance — one more possession to keep his season alive. He drove again on (Danny) Green, lost his footing and lofted a wild, off-balance 10-footer than grazed the front of the rim. Tony Parker made one of two free throws at the other end, and the Spurs swept their second straight playoff series.
“I messed up,” Paul said. “Bad decisions. Bad decisions. All on me. … To let my team down in that situation is probably the toughest part of the season and something I’ll think about for a while.”
Sitting next to him in the interview room was Blake Griffin, a bandage on his upper lip covering the four stitches he needed at halftime from a shoulder to the mouth — his first taste of the playoffs tinged with blood. Griffin, awarded to the Clippers in the draft lottery two years ago this past weekend, has experienced one season in the NBA without Paul and one season with him. If all goes as planned in Clipperland, they’ll experience many more together.
“The way he plays on the court, that’s a given,” Griffin said. “Everybody sees how good he is. But it’s when he comes and talks to you about a certain situation, when you learn the game through his eyes. He’s in constant communication with all the guys, and that’s the way you get better.”
The Clippers soon will offer Griffin an extension, a subject Griffin said he hasn’t given “an ounce of thought to,” he said. A decision will be made soon on coach Vinny Del Negro, who has a team option for next season.
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