April 29--Pregame
Before Game 5 on Tuesday, Clippers Coach Doc Rivers was asked if the Clippers needed to treat tonight's game as though it were a game 7.
"I think both teams do," Rivers said.
The Clippers and the Spurs are tied 2-2 in their first-round best-of-seven playoff series.
The teams split both of their games in Los Angeles and in San Antonio. In Game 3 in San Antonio, the Spurs routed the Clippers, 100-73.
Then in Game 4 in San Antonio, the Clippers won, 114-15, behind Chris Paul's 34 points on 11-for-19 shooting, seven assists and only two turnovers. It was a big turnaround for Paul, who had more turnovers (six) than assists (four) for the first time this season in Game 3, while only making three of his 11 shots.
Paul recently said that it shouldn't take the Clippers getting blown out by nearly 30 points to fire them up, referring to their strong Game 4 that followed their Game 3 embarrassment.
Tuesday evening, Rivers echoed Paul's sentiments.
"We have to be ready from the onset," Rivers said. "We have to understand that they're going to be ready."
