Technically, the Los Angeles Clippers made progress from last season.
After losing two play-in games because (begin rolling eyes) Kawhi Leonard missed both of them and Paul George missed the second, taking one game off the Phoenix Suns in the first round is very-specifically-officially-technically… progress.
But I think we’re confusing progress with change, because this Clippers team—about to enter year five of the Leonard-George experiment—has merely come up with new and exciting ways to fail, rather than progressing the roster toward, you know, contending.
But despite a very aggressive trade deadline, a wide range of results from Russell Westbrook and a Western Conference that was begging someone to take control of it, the Clippers were once again sunk by injuries to their two stars, and fans were left wondering what they did to the universe to deserve this.