OAKLAND, Calif. — "31?" Clippers guard Landry Shamet told Sporting News with his eyes wide in near disbelief. "31? Biggest in playoff history?"
Shamet’s shock mirrored the feeling of the entire Oracle Arena crowd. While the Warriors faithful slowly trudged outside with their heads down, the Clippers rushed the floor to celebrate the most unlikely postseason victory the league has ever seen.
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The Clippers, down 31 points in the second half, managed to complete the largest comeback in NBA playoff history Monday night to even their best-of-seven series with Golden State at one game apiece. It was a victory that not a soul in Oracle saw coming. That is, except for Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers.
"[I told the team] that we were going to win," Rivers said, explaining what he shared with his players in the locker room after the Clippers faced a 73-50 halftime deficit. "Just hang in there. Just hang in there long enough. I was honest with them. I said, 'I don’t know how. We’re going to figure this out, but just hang in there with each other.' I thought they did that."
It was a night that began with the expectation of a playoff romp, but Game 2 wasn't just a terrible collapse for the Warriors.
Early in the first quarter, after intercepting a pass at half court, starting center DeMarcus Cousins stumbled to the ground and clutched his left quad. It was a non-contact injury, similar to the torn Achilles he suffered in the same leg as a member of the Pelicans more than a year ago.
As a hushed Warriors crowd looked on, a visibly frustrated Cousins headed to the locker room. Golden State fears Cousins tore his quad, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr did little to quell those concerns after the game.
"There’s a pretty significant quad injury," Kerr said. "We’ll get an MRI tomorrow. But he’s going to be out for, I’ll just say awhile, because I think it’s unclear right now how long he’ll be out. It’s significant."
After Game 2 collapse against LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said DeMarcus Cousins suffered a "pretty significant" quad injury. "He's going to be out awhile." pic.twitter.com/H5MMFiFOle
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 16, 2019
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Cousins' injury didn’t seem to faze the Warriors for nearly two-and-a-half quarters. In fact, it almost seemed to galvanize them as their lead swelled to 31 in the third. Stephen Curry was putting on a show on his way to a team-high 29 points, and Oracle went into celebration mode. The party started a little early.
As the Clippers trimmed the deficit to 14 before the start of the fourth quarter, the thought that they could complete the largest comeback in playoff history still seemed far-fetched. But the Clippers had been there before — all season really. Back in February, they completed an improbable 28-point comeback to beat the Celtics on the road.
"It kept popping into my head," said Shamet, who finished with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists against the Warriors. "Boston. Think of Boston. Because it definitely felt identical."
That belief helped Shamet stick the dagger in Golden State when his name was called. Shamet’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 15.9 seconds left put the Clippers up, 133-131. After a key defensive stop, Shamet tipped a rebound to Montrezl Harrell, who was fouled and went on to knock down two free throws, clinching the 135-131 victory.
Shamet DRAINS a 👌 for the Clippers to take the LEAD!#ClipperNation | #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/4wo7Abkivp
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 16, 2019
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Game 2 was a testament to what the Clippers have been all year long: gritty, resilient underdogs.
Led by Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley, the Clippers continue to exceed expectations. Williams, who led the Clippers with 36 points and 11 assists, made improbable shot after improbable shot to continue chipping away at the deficit. Beverley, always known for his swagger and propensity for trash talk, never allowed the Clippers to lose faith.
"[Beverley is] so important for us. I think people get lost in some of his antics and stuff," Rivers said. "But his spirit and his soul is so important for our team. He was encouraging everybody. I thought him and Lou in particular in the timeouts, when we were down, they kept going to the young guys. I thought they were really important for us."
The Warriors will regroup, of course. In all likelihood, Golden State will take care of business against the Clippers and continue their run toward a third consecutive title. But choking away a 31-point lead will not be forgotten easily, especially with a loss that highlighted all of the Warriors' problems.
There’s a very real chance that Cousins will not be there to help in their quest. Kevin Durant and Draymond Green left the locker room without speaking to the media, leaving their teammates to explain what happened and opening the door to speculation about internal strife. The bench depth has been a concern all season long.
This is a team so good it can build a 31-point lead in a playoff game, seemingly without breaking a sweat. It can also fall apart against a significantly less talented opponent. The gap between another championship and the end of a dynasty has never felt thinner.
For the Clippers, Monday night’s victory was the icing on the cake of a season that few expected. For the Warriors, it should serve as a major wake-up call.