May 11--The Clippers are one win away from reaching the Western Conference Finals for the first time in their 45-year franchise history.
They have a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets in their best-of-seven, second-round series after winning Game 4 on Sunday, 128-95. One more win and they will advance to uncharted territory for any Clippers team ever.
"It's an accomplishment, but it's not our goal," Griffin said Sunday evening. "I mean, it is a goal on the way to a bigger goal, the biggest goal."
After beating the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in the first round in an incredible seven-game series, and now breezing through the Rockets so far, the Clippers are starting to be considered real championship contenders.
"I never thought I would say this, but I think the Clippers can win the NBA Championship," Magic Johnson tweeted Monday. "They have a little bit of everything...
"...the Clippers have outside shooting, Blake is dominating, the best leader and coach in Chris Paul Doc Rivers and great team defense!"
According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index, the Clippers currently have the best chance to win the championship at 40.7%.
Most people and sports books never thought the Clippers would get out of the first round, something which Clippers Coach Doc Rivers made sure to hammer home to his players.
Before the Clippers played the Spurs in their first-round playoff series, Rivers handed out a sheet to his team with writers' predictions on who would win the series. Forty six of the forty seven writers had picked the Spurs.
The Clippers went on to beat the Spurs in Game 7, 111-109, after Chris Paul made a game-winning shot over Tim Duncan with one second remaining.
"When you play a team like the Spurs in the first round and come out like that, it kind of gives you that feeling of accomplishment," Griffin said. "I think we realize as a team what we're capable of when we play the right way."
