San Antonio was determined early. You could see how hard they were trying, taking a 19-11 lead. Nonetheless, all we had to do was sustain momentum until they tired out. We essentially tied it by the end of the first, down 30-28.

This is were we began a story. It will become folklore over the years, so please, feel free to steal my words to re-tell your own kids someday. We’re gonna want to pass down the legend of Chris Paul against the defending NBA Champions in game seven.

With under two minutes in that opening quarter left, Paul clutched his left hamstring as he pulled up for a three (which he still drained over Tony Parker). He left the game and went to the locker room with a hammy strain, only to return Willis Reed-style six minutes into the second.

Paul played through obvious pain the rest of the game. Somehow, our bench played great without him. Jamal Crawford helped maintain an even ball game without our star. Then, San Antonio puts their most aggressive defender all over Paul for the remaining time left.

Our “little six foot assassin,” (Marv Albert or his clone) still stepped into the quarter and went on a run. We actually led five until the Spurs hit a patented gay three right before the buzzer. With all the nerves and energy on an early evening at Staples, it was not a bad first half for Los Angeles.

Each team kind of felt each other out defensively to begin the second half. Not a lot of scoring took place until the end of the third. The Clippers had meticulously prevented the Spurs from tasting a lead in the quarter. With ten seconds left, the game tied, and a foul to give, we hacked Ginobili in the backcourt, and he immediately pretended to shoot a 3 – which they always do, but this time they called it!

He made the first two then bricked, and Paul snagged the board. He had just been inserted back into the ballgame by Doc Rivers to try and score. He dribbled in front of the three-point line, forced to shoot with no time left, and banked it in to re-take the lead! It was all going to come down to the final frame after two weeks of hell.

Guys stepped up in the fourth like you’d only dream of. With Paul in obvious pain, Blake Griffin went and got buckets. San Antonio led by five with the sand in our hourglass running out. We missed, but Griffin got the rebound, was fouled, and made two free throws. With five minutes to go, we trailed by three.

This is when J.J. Redick assumed Beast Mode. He tripled on a risky attempt from downtown, tying the game at 97. It became a back-and-forth battle, with neither team giving an inch. They scored, then J.J. lined up again, sending us to a 100-99 lead on another three. Our center sat on the bench thanks to more Hack-A-Jordan. They let San Antonio get closer to the rim, and the offensive rebounding started to cost us.

The Spurs had 12 second chance points in the 4th. A couple scenes didn’t look real; we’d block multiple shots only to have the ball squeak back out for another gay three. It really looked grim when they rebounded a missed free throw for a four point play, putting us down three with just over one minute left.

Matt Barnes really brought the energy all night (and series), so it was fitting that we leaned on him here in a big possession. He fired a three from dead center, knocking down the game-tying shot. But, the Spurs quickly grabbed another offensive rebound for the putback. So, Crawford drove hard to the hole and tied it right back at 107.

Now under a minute, we got a much overdue stop, and Griffin denied any second chances with a strong rebound. Timeout, Rivers. We dribbled too much time off the clock, and Griffin heaved one shy at the buzzer – but in swooped Barnes to save the day, securing the offensive rebound. Another timeout, 30 seconds left (still tied).

Paul worked it this time and drew the foul on Tim Duncan. He made them both. 109-107, only 13 seconds between us and victory. It seemed over, but a bad call against Barnes put Duncan at the line. He tied it with nine seconds remaining in regulation. Timeout.

We only had x amount of dribbling in the time permitted. So, Paul went directly to the hoop on a halfcourt inbound. He crossed over his defender, drawing baseline separation, then shot it over a helping, outstretched Duncan… AND BANKED IT IN WITH ONE SECOND LEFT. Our home crowd erupted. Timeout, Popovich.

Needing just one more, one more stop, San Antonio lined up at halfcourt to inbound. An inadvertent whistle paused the inbound, making the Spurs coach irate. We saw some true colors in the clutch. This let Barnes see the play, so upon the pass down low, “Bad News” jumped the route and denied entry, swatting the Spurs season into the abyss. IT WAS ALL OVER!

WE ACTUALLY DID IT! On the back of the greatest playoff performance in Clippers history, Chris Paul did the impossible, limping but smashing through the finish line. Congratulations!