Courtesy of Reggie Jackson's clutch shot, the shorthanded Clippers edge the Lakers in a hard-fought Los Angeles derby on Thursday night.
Reggie Jackson drives and spins FOR THE @LAClippers WIN! pic.twitter.com/kV571oazr8
— NBA (@NBA) February 4, 2022
Although the Lakers suited up without LeBron James, they still had superstars in Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, and yet the Clippers came out on top.
However, this victory by the depleted Clippers shouldn't come as a surprise. They have been doing this all season, winning 13 of the 28 games when Paul George was sidelined while Kawhi Leonard has been "out" all season.
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After this win, their record of 27-27 is good for eighth in the West and is just 2.5 games behind the sixth seed.
This says a lot about the depth of the squad and also the coaching of Tyronn Lue. The 44-year-old coach postgame discussed the joy he's got from coaching this group of players this season.
"These guys just continue to keep fighting every single night... It just makes me feel good. That's the enjoyment I get from coaching this team."
It's this fighting spirit that has seen the squad mount multiple huge comebacks, including one from 35 down, while also winning 17 of their 28 clutch games this season, which is good for sixth-best in the league.
Another day, another @LAClippers comeback. This time they overcame a 14-point deficit against the Magic.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 27, 2022
The Clippers now have 5 double-digit comebacks this month, the most in the NBA.
They had 4 such comebacks from October-December combined. pic.twitter.com/HiukYXt1qd
During the postgame press conference, Lue also shared updates on the team's superstars - Leonard and George.
After saying "we know Kawhi 's probably not coming back [this season]", he also confirmed the in-game report by TNT stating that George was set for an MRI on his elbow on Feb. 24 to determine the next course of action.
Irrespective of George's availability following the MRI, it's safe to say that these Clippers must not be taken lightly or written off because their superstars aren't suiting up.
They are in the think of the Play-In picture in the West and are one good run away from avoiding it by elevating themselves to the sixth seed.
