Chris Paul, Clippers fight the schedule

It was the second game in two days on the road, and Clippers coach Doc Rivers wants his team to develop the mindset that that can be a two-win proposition.
Or how about four games in five days? The Clippers play that fourth game Sunday against Chicago.
“I totally forgot that this was a four in five until after the game Jamal Crawford mentioned it,” Chris Paul said. “I was trying to figure out why I was feeling the way I did.
“It’s mental, too and it shows how . . . you’ve got to push through. Every team goes through it. We talked about it before the season started – that’s how the teams get the first and second seed in the Western and Eastern conference, because on those days they suck it up.”
But after falling to Oklahoma City by 14 points on Thursday, Rivers just couldn’t let the defeat slide. He was tempted to simply look forward to the two weekend games at home.
“It’s funny,” Rivers said. “I probably move on four times a year where I say I’m not watching this game and I almost did it. Unfortunately, yesterday they had the day off. So after I did my Sacramento preparation and my Chicago preparation, I had too much time left in the day so I went back and watched the game and I’m glad I actually watched it.”
He lamented the fact that the Clippers missed two wide open 3-point tries to start the game, and how that might have set the tone. As it turned out, the Clippers had to spend the day trying to make up a deficit and eventually ran out of steam.
Rivers has also noticed the next big step his team must make defensively. It’s not about scoring or field goal percentage allowed.
“For me, the biggest part is we have not become that team where if you need a stop, we’re going to get a stop,” Rivers said. “That’s what we have to become. I don’t even care what the percentages are. When we become that team, that’s the team I want to become.”