Tony Parker feels bad that Chris Paul has never made a conference finals

Following the Los Angeles Clippers' elimination of the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last season, Tony Parker said he was actually rooting for the Clippers and friend Chris Paul to go deep into the postseason.

Like everyone else, Parker was shocked when the Clippers collapsed and blew a 3-1 lead over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals. He felt bad for Paul, in particular, because another year passed without Paul making the conference finals.

"I first of all felt bad for Chris because he's a friend, and I felt bad for him because he didn't reach a Conference Finals yet and he's like 31," Parker told the Los Angeles Times. "He's getting close to the end of his career, so I felt very bad for him."

Paul is actually 30 years old, not 31, but that's beside the point. In his 11th season now, he has yet to make a conference finals, which is disappointing -- albeit somewhat out of control -- and somewhat surprising. Parker's blunt analysis is on point. 

Paul's prime might have already passed him. He's only getting older. He doesn't look like the same player this season, and the more time that passes, the less likely the Clippers will make the Conference Finals and beyond. The Clippers need a healthy Paul at his peak to have any shot at beating the Golden State Warriors or Spurs in a seven-game series, but it seems as if his best days are behind him.

Because of that, it's understandable that Parker and anyone else who enjoys Paul's brilliance would feel bad for him.