NBA 2018-19: 3 reasons why LA Clippers could eliminate Golden State Warriors

While the Houston Rockets wait for the Golden State Warriors to kick off round 2, the Warriors are not even sure of when and if they'll make it. After their game 5 loss to the Clippers - which was their first back-to-back playoff home loss since 2016 NBA Finals - the series that many projected to be a clean sweep now stands at 3-2 (in Golden State's favour) heading back to LA for Game 6.

Only once in their eight playoff series since Kevin Durant's arrival in 2016 have Golden State needed more than five games to win. This is clearly unfamiliar territory for them.

Despite Durant playing 42 minutes (his highest since January) and dropping a playoff career-high 45 points in Game 5, the Warriors lost 129-121 in front of a packed Oracle crowd.

“We have to realize that this year’s different,” Stephen Curry said. “There are different challenges. Whether it’s human nature, whether it’s talent of the competition we’re playing, the way the league’s changed with different lineups out there — everything’s different, and you have to adapt."

Clearly, the Warriors have not been themselves for quite some time now. And losing two games to an eighth seed in the playoffs has just magnified all their flaws and put them under the microscope for the rest of the way.

Here we list the three prominent reasons why the pesky Clippers might just be able to pull off the biggest upset in recent times.

---

#1 The Warriors' defense is an issue they haven't figured out yet

GSW have not displayed championship caliber on the defensive end.

GSW allowed the visitors to score 135 and 129 points in two losses on the home floor, something that was quite hard to comprehend. In both these games, the Clippers shot at least 54% from the field and handed the high-headed Warriors shocking Ls.

"The playoffs are all about defense, and we just did not defend. We didn't fight," coach Steve Kerr said after the game 5 loss. "We gave up 129 points, and they shot 54 percent on our home floor. We seemed to take it for granted that we were going to be OK."

Everyone - including the whole Clippers camp - is aware of the fact that GSW possess arguably the best offensive set in the league. But that is not where LA are trying to beat them in the first place.

The intensity of Pat Beverley and Montrezl Harrell to secure their rim has been a major force in tipping the scales. Golden State have failed badly at stopping their opponents from scoring at pivotal moments or in clamping down on the multi-faceted offense that LA bring to the table.

#2 Lou Williams is playing like a man possessed

Lou Williams

Coming off the bench in Game 5, Lou Williams gave his team 30 points and 10 assists and played a major role down the stretch when the LA Clippers went on a 12-3 run to seal the game.

"For us, our focus was to come in, extend the series and get another win. ... It's their mistake for looking ahead. So that's on them", admitted Williams after beating the Warriors at the Oracle in Game 5.

Among reserves Williams is NBA's leading scorer, and that shows every time he steps foot on the court. The Clippers have beaten Golden State Warriors in Game 2 and Game 5 (both played at the Oracle) in which Williams scored a combined 69 points for his team.

In their latest clash, the 'walking bucket' shot a blazing 12-of-19 from the floor, including some clutch contested layups down the stretch to create some much needed separation.

More often than not, Sweet Lou has got his team a bucket whenever they've needed one. It's safe to say that he has been a decisive factor in stretching the series to as far as Game 6.

#3 LA are as pesky as they come while the Warriors are taking things for granted

Pat Bev has managed to get under GSW's skin throughout the series

Curry scored 24 points in 38 minutes in Game 5 and expressed his "no panic at all" mindset afterwards. One of the most glaring indications of Golden State Warriors' high-headed attitude lately came forward when Klay Thompson shed some light on it in the post-game presser.

“I was,” Thompson admitted, when asked whether the Warriors were guilty of looking ahead to the second round. “I thought we were going to come out and win tonight, but sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. [The Clippers] have been pesky, they’ve been tough. But now it’s time to do what we do.”

Nate Scott of USA Today made a key observation too. "All season long, the Warriors would show flashes of what had made them so unbeatable in years past. But they also had a nasty habit of taking quarters, even entire halves, of defense off," Scott said.

Another example of this came to the fore when a reporter asked Coach Kerr about the identity of the team after the humiliating Game 5 loss, “What's the identity of our club? Back-to-back champions,” Kerr said. “We're really good. I mean, we're hanging banners."

The Warriors are defending champions, yes, but that doesn't mean all the other teams will hand it to them again this year. The Clippers will not go down without a fight, and the Warriors need to be prepared for any eventuality.