The Los Angeles Clippers had the Denver Nuggets on the ropes in Game 5, but squandered a 13-point lead with just over a quarter remaining to drop Friday's contest.
It's been a reoccurring theme all season for the Clippers, who have now lost six games combined in the regular season and playoffs after leading by 15 points or more.
Veteran forward Marcus Morris believes his team relies too much on their natural talent late in games.
"We just lean on us being as good as we are on paper and not actually finishing the game," Morris said Saturday, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
Morris added head coach Doc Rivers wasn't at fault for the Clippers' latest collapse and he and his teammates are responsible for executing their game plan.
"We put the onus on ourselves," Morris said. "We should have put that game away, we should have stuck to what we were doing. That has been one of our Achilles' heels, kind of messing with the game when we get up. To get where we are trying to get to, and that's being champions, we have to be better. That has nothing to do with coaching. That is on the players."
Los Angeles holds a 3-2 series lead and can advance to its first conference final in franchise history with a victory on Sunday.