And that’s not the worst of it.

The Clippers are the first team in NBA history to blow a series lead in five consecutive playoff appearances.

”Once again, we’re done,” a dejected Paul said. ”Too many times.”

Their latest failure came Sunday, a 104-91 loss in Game 7 at home against the Utah Jazz. After six closely contested games decided by an average of 5.1 points, the Clippers turned in a flat effort with their season – and perhaps future – at stake.

They fought all season to earn home-court advantage only to lose three of four to the Jazz at Staples Center. Their 2-1 series lead vanished along with Griffin, who went down with a season-ending toe injury in Game 3.

He wasn’t around to watch the team’s demise, having traveled to consult with a doctor about possible surgery.

Whether Griffin’s around next season is one of the big questions facing the franchise.

Griffin and Chris Paul can opt out of their contracts this summer. J.J. Redick – who made one basket in Game 7 – becomes a free agent.

Ultimately, they hold the future of the franchise in their hands.

For his part, third-year owner Steve Ballmer would have to shell out upward of $200 million, including the luxury tax, to keep the trio together.

”We’ve been reading about our obituary for about three months now,” coach Doc Rivers said. ”I’m sure everyone will have their own suggestions.”

The Clippers began the season as the league’s best team at 14-2. They ended the regular season as the hottest team with a seven-game winning streak. Then they blew a 2-1 lead against the Jazz, leaving their fans wondering if the Lob City era is over.

Here are some things to know about the Clippers heading into the offseason:

GRIFFIN & PAUL

They can choose to exercise the early termination options on their contracts and become free agents. By doing so, they could still sign richer long-term deals to stay in L.A. Griffin has missed portions of the last two postseasons with injuries, and although he’s only 28, Ballmer will surely ponder whether he wants to continue focusing his franchise around such an injury-prone player. Paul carried the Clippers through the first six games against the Jazz before they shut him down with 13 points in Game 7. He turns 32 on Saturday and while he is still an All-Star, Ballmer must consider whether to commit bigger bucks over several years to Paul. Or Griffin and Paul could decide it’s time to go elsewhere to pursue an elusive title.

INJURIES

During the regular season, Griffin missed 19 games with a sore right knee that required a procedure, while Paul sat out 21 games with a hamstring issue and a ligament tear in his left thumb. A year ago, Paul broke his hand and Griffin re-aggravated a quad injury in a first-round playoff loss against Portland. Griffin had missed 41 games because of the quad during the regular season, in addition to losing time after breaking his hand punching the team’s assistant equipment manager. Because of the injuries, Ballmer may decide it’s worth keeping them around to take another crack at winning the franchise’s first NBA championship.

DOC RIVERS

He just completed his fourth season in L.A. working the dual roles of president of basketball operations and coach. Under him, the team has a .662 winning percentage in the regular season. But the Clippers have consistently failed to contend for a title, going 18-21 with a .462 winning percentage in the playoffs. None of the team’s draft picks under Rivers has developed into solid support for the Big Three of Griffin, Paul and DeAndre Jordan. The team had a short bench against the Jazz, including 39-year-old Paul Pierce, who played 21 minutes in Game 7 and scored six points in his career finale. Four players – Alan Anderson, Brandon Bass, Brice Johnson and Wesley Johnson – saw little or no minutes in the series. Given his role as part of the brain trust, Rivers shares responsibility for the continued playoff failures.

REDICK

He didn’t boost his stock with a three-point effort on 1 of 5 shooting in Game 7 after slumping the entire series. Redick averaged 15.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists during the regular season, when he made a career and franchise-high 201 3-pointers. He’s one of five players to make 200 or more 3-pointers in three or more consecutive seasons. At 32, he may be ready for a change of scenery.

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For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

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The Clippers can finish off the Jazz on Sunday and advance to the Western Conference semifinals against Golden State, which has been waiting since Wednesday to find out its next opponent.

Whoever wins won’t have any rest. The Warriors host the series opener on Tuesday.

Now in his 12th season, nine-time Clippers All-Star Chris Paul has yet to play in a conference finals.

”He is as competitive of a human being that I’ve ever been around,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. ”When you put that with the talent and will, that’s why he has performances like this in big games.”

Paul had 28 points, eight assists, three rebounds and four turnovers playing 38 minutes in a 98-93 win on Friday.

”Doc said go out there and give yourself a chance,” Paul said.

During a timeout, he looked over at 39-year-old teammate Paul Pierce, who plans to retire at the end of the season, his 19th.

”I said, `You’re not ending your career in Utah,”’ Paul said. ”We just said we’re going to keep this thing going for him.”

With Paul doing the heavy lifting, Jamal Crawford, Luc Mbah a Moute and Austin Rivers combined to score 38 points while making up for the loss of Blake Griffin, who is out for the rest of the season with a big-toe injury.

Without Griffin, Paul has been forced into doing the majority of the ball handling, and he appeared tired near the end of the Clippers’ loss in Game 5. Doc Rivers changed things up in Game 6 and surrounded Paul with fellow guards Crawford, Austin Rivers and Raymond Felton.

”That helped a lot,” Paul said.

The first six games between the fourth-seeded Clippers and No. 5 Utah have been decided by eight points or less. It’s been so close that the teams are averaging 98 points each. They had identical 51-31 records in the regular season.

”This series has been a roller coaster for both teams,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said.

The Clippers can draw on past experience heading into Game 7.

Two years ago, they won an elimination game in San Antonio and came home to win Game 7 by two points in the first round. In 2014, they beat the Warriors in a Game 7 at home in the first round.

The young Jazz isn’t as playoff-tested, which is why they brought in veterans Joe Johnson, Boris Diaw and George Hill to surround Gordon Hayward and Joe Ingles.

”We know what they’re going to run and they know what we’re going to run,” Hayward said. ”It’s about execution. It’s about who wants it more, so we’ve got to be the team that wants it more.”

Jazz at Clippers, Series tied 3-3, 3:30 p.m. Sunday, ESPN

NEED TO KNOW: The Clippers are 3-3 all-time in Game 7s. The Jazz is 1-0 all-time in Game 7s in the first round. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2010.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Johnson. Utah’s big-shot specialist watched an off-balance, potential game-tying 3-pointer clank off the rim late in Game 6. It was one of his few misses under pressure in the series. He hit the winning shot in Game 1, scored 28 points in Game 4 and took over in the fourth quarter of Game 5. Iso Joe may not be done yet.

INJURY UPDATE: Gobert sustained a mild ankle sprain Friday. X-rays were negative and he’s expected to be fine for Sunday.

PRESSURE IS ON: The Clippers. Since 2013, they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs after owning leads in every series. If they lose, Griffin and Paul will be one step closer to being able to opt out of their contracts and J.J. Redick will become a free agent this summer.

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The star point guard was set to play Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs, the second-place team in the West.

Paul had been out since Jan. 16 after injuring his thumb and having surgery two days later. He returned slightly ahead of the original timetable of six to eight weeks.

Paul’s return means Austin Rivers will go back to the bench. Paul leads the NBA in steals per game at 2.25.

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The Clippers said Tuesday that their All-Star guard will continue to undergo treatment and evaluation by the club’s medical staff.

Paul was injured on a first-half play involving Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook in Monday night’s victory over the Thunder. Paul didn’t return in the second half.

The Clippers are 26-9 in 36 games with Paul in the lineup this season. He is averaging 17.5 points, 9.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds, and leads the NBA with 2.25 steals per game.

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A team spokesman for Los Angeles says Paul got hurt in the second quarter Monday night and won’t return.

Paul had eight points, six assists and three rebounds in 13 minutes. The star point guard already has missed seven games this season with hamstring injuries.

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The Clippers said Tuesday that their All-Star guard will continue to undergo treatment and evaluation by the club’s medical staff.

Paul was injured on a first-half play involving Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook in Monday night’s victory over the Thunder. Paul didn’t return in the second half.

Paul is averaging 17.5 points, 9.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds, and leads the NBA with 2.25 steals per game.

The post Chris Paul to undergo surgery for torn ligament in thumb appeared first on IdealCapper.

Chris Paul will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

The team said Tuesday its veteran point guard will continue to undergo treatment and evaluation by the club’s medical staff.

Paul was injured on a first-half play involving Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook in Monday night’s victory. Paul didn’t return in the second half.

Paul is averaging 17.5 points, 9.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds, and leads the NBA with 2.25 steals per game. He missed a total of seven games last month and early this month because of hamstring issues.

The Clippers are 7-0 in 2017, equaling their best start to a calendar year since 1974.

They’ve done it without star forward Blake Griffin, who is likely to be back next week after recovering from right knee surgery. His return adheres to the team’s original estimate of him being out four to six weeks.

Griffin was averaging 21.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists before having arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right knee on Dec. 20.

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