Chris Paul
The floor general who led the Clippers to their first division titles.
Chris Paul was a key player for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2010s, helping transform the team into consistent postseason contenders. He was part of the "Lob City" lineup alongside Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. With Paul, the team qualified for the playoffs in six consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2017 and won two consecutive division titles in 2013 and 2014, both firsts for the franchise. Despite this success, the Clippers struggled in the postseason and were frequently eliminated in the Conference Semifinals; the team reached the conference finals for the first time in 2021, after Paul's tenure.
- origin
- Traded from Oklahoma City Thunder
- franchise_milestone
- First Playoff Series Win (2014)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
This group turned the Clippers into consistent postseason contenders. The team qualified for the playoffs in six consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2017, a first for the franchise. They also won back-to-back division titles in 2013 and 2014, another franchise first. However, despite this regular-season success, the Clippers struggled in the postseason. They were frequently eliminated in the Conference Semifinals. The team did not reach the conference finals until 2021, after Paul had left the team.
In Their Own Story
After taking a 3-1 series lead, the Clippers were on the verge of reaching the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. However, they lost three straight games, including a collapse in Game 6 where they blew a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Rockets won the series 4-3. The Clippers would not reach the conference finals until 2021, when they did so without Chris Paul on the roster.
Reader's Guide
Chris Paul's tenure with the Clippers is defined by the "Lob City" era. This lineup, featuring Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, made the Clippers a consistent playoff team. They won division titles in 2013 and 2014, the first in franchise history. However, the team could not advance past the Conference Semifinals during Paul's time. The team reached the conference finals for the first time in 2021, after Paul had been traded.
Did You Know?
- Chris Paul was part of the 'Lob City' lineup that included Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
- The Clippers won their first two division titles in franchise history in 2013 and 2014 with Paul on the team.
- The Clippers qualified for the playoffs in six consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2017, a franchise first.
- The Clippers reached the conference finals for the first time in 2021, after Chris Paul had left the team.