Paul George: 'This is not a championship-or-bust year for us'

Paul George may say it wasn't championship-or-bust year, but it truly was.

Everyone expected the LA Clippers to contend for a championship this season. No one expected the Denver Nuggets to beat them in the conference semifinals, but it happened. At the moment of LA's collapse, Paul George says the Clippers weren't a championship-or-bust team.

"I think internally, we've always felt, this is not a championship-or-bust year for us," George said. "You know, we can only get better the longer we stay together and the more we're around each other. More chemistry for the group, the better. I think that's really the tale of the tape of this season. We just didn't have enough time together."

On the positive side, George is insinuating that the Clippers are in it for the long haul. The team wants to stay together for years, to contend for multiple championships. LA certainly has the talent to do so, but they didn't have the heart nor the chemistry. 

Regardless of what George may say, the Clippers were certainly in a championship-or-bust year. Their acquisitions of Marcus Morris, and Reggie Jackson proved so. 

"It's the first time I've been in that situation where we're expected to win," George said. "But you know, it is what it is. It's no cop out. Fact of the matter is, we didn't live up to that expectationit's the first time I've been in that situation where we're expected to win. But you know, it is what it is. It's no cop out. Fact of the matter is, we didn't live up to that expectation."

It's hard to explain what happened to the Clippers other than a pure choke job. The Clippers were up 3-1, and had a double digit lead in Games 5-7. Despite all the talent, the best bench in the NBA, multiple sixth men of the year candidates, they fell historically short. The only thing they can do now is use this year as motivation for the next.