After seven games, the Los Angeles Clippers prevailed on their home court.
It was an ugly first quarter, but the Clippers bench came out strong in the second. The Golden State Warriors led by eight at halftime.
A new, more confident Clipper team emerged from the locker room. They quickly cut the Warrior lead down, taking their first lead of the game midway through the third with calmer play and improved passing. At the end of three, the Clippers held a three point lead.
The fourth quarter looked like Los Angeles would pull away, but the pesky Warriors hung in there until the very end. With under five minutes to play, the boys separated from the men. Down one, DeAndre Jordan put home a sick alley-oop from Chris Paul. A few plays later, Jordan denied a driving Stephen Curry, and Blake Griffin finished the breakaway alley-oop, forcing a Mark Jackson timeout.
Shortly after, Jordan viciously returned an offensive rebound for the clutch putback. Next, Griffin drove to the hole and was hammered, yet managed to flip the ball up over his head and score for an “and one.”
Finally, the Clippers needed one more hoop with 30 seconds left. Griffin quickly ran the floor and found his buddy Jordan for an alley-oop, putting us up five. When we hit our free throw to secure the win with two ticks remaining, Doc took to the crowd, emotionally pumping his fist. We had done it, after everything Donald Sterling put us through.
….. this is why you earn that home court advantage …..your fans can pump you up and shake your opponent down…….hard series to play in…..let alone come back and finish……pretty good coach to wade through that horse-puckey and still smell the roses….onward.