Warriors rendered Clippers obsolete

Not even four years ago, the Clippers eliminated the Warriors in Game 7 of their firstround playoff series. Los Angeles bubbled with potential greatness: Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Jamal Crawford, J.J. Redick.

That didn’t work out so well.

Monday’s stunning trade of Griffin to Detroit offered one final, emphatic piece of evidence: On their way to the summit, the Warriors rendered the high-flying Clippers practically obsolete.

Each of the four abovementioned players now wears a different NBA uniform. The Clippers are in rebuilding mode, miles behind Golden State and other contenders in the mighty Western Conference.

Or put it this way: The Warriors are 47-15 in the playoffs (with two championships) since that Game 7 loss at Staples Center on May 3, 2014. The Clippers are 12-15, with one trip to the West semifinals.

This speaks to the abilities of Stephen Curry and Co., absolutely. And, yes, it speaks to the acquisition of Kevin Durant in July 2016. But it also speaks to bold leadership — firing head coach Mark Jackson after falling to the Clippers, then hiring Steve Kerr — and the power of selfless stars.

As the Clippers spiraled into dysfunction and bickering, the Warriors soared into another realm. At least some of this traces to Curry’s uncommon blend of humility and confidence, and Durant’s willingness to expand his game (better defense, more passing).

The best players set the tone. As former Warriors forward David Lee once said of Curry, “Nobody else is allowed to be a jerk if Steph’s not being a jerk.”

Griffin and Paul might not be jerks, but they didn’t display much leadership the past few years. Not surprisingly, the Clippers slipped into irrelevance; they’re 25-25 and ninth in the Western Conference playoff race.

Now, with only DeAndre Jordan remaining from their core — and he might vanish before the Feb. 8 trade deadline — Golden State’s onetime rival is barely recognizable.