Lou Williams sends warning to Warriors about looking ahead to Rockets

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Klay Thompson and the Warriors have admittedly been looking past the Los Angeles Clippers during their first-round NBA playoff series, with the Houston Rockets awaiting in the second round.

That was a mistake.

The Warriors have lacked mental focus throughout their first-round battle with the Clippers. After blowing a 31-point lead in Game 2, the Dubs won Games 3 and 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead with the series heading back to Oakland.

But with their eyes squarely on the Rockets and not on the scrappy underdog in front of them, the Warriors let the Clippers off the hook as Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell led L.A. to a 129-121 Game 5 win Wednesday night.

After the win, Williams had a quick cautionary message for the Warriors about looking ahead.

"For us, our focus was to come in, extend the series and get another win on the home floor," Williams said when asked about the Warriors' openness about to looking toward Houston. "It's their mistake for looking ahead. So that's on them."

Williams, who scorched the Warriors for 33 points in Game 5, has a point.

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While the Warriors clearly have the talent to turn it on whenever they want, their nonchalant approach to the Clippers has put them in a bind.

Dropping two games to the underdog Clippers has cost the Warriors valuable rest days they could have used with the Rockets on the horizon. There also is the more pressing matter of a Game 6 at Staples Center that won't be easy to win. The Warriors have the ability to come out and squash the Clippers if they are focused on the annoying pest in front of them.

But if they once again find themselves peaking towards a date with James Harden, they could find themselves heading back to Oakland for a do-or-die Game 7 instead of Game 1.

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