The short-handed LA Clippers won a thrilling game against the Atlanta Hawks last night.
The Clippers were missing 5 players that accounted for 72.6 points, 21.3 rebounds, 19.4 assists, but it didn’t matter to them. Last night was a true team win for the LA Clippers. Deandre Jordan hit clutch free throws, Jawun Evans made key defensive stops, Lou Williams played like an All-Star, and C.J. Williams hit a game winning three.
Poster much…? 🤔😵@TeamLou23 | #NBAVote
📸 https://t.co/S3ilrYyaXW
📲 https://t.co/UKbFOYopN4
📺 #PrimeTicket pic.twitter.com/4DfzRLTNmS— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 9, 2018
LA played a very efficient first half, shooting 53% from the field, 57% from three, and turning the ball over only 4 times. However, as expected with a young short-handed team, they had a very sloppy 3rd quarter that allowed Atlanta to get back into the game. A 15 point lead quickly turned into a deficit for the Clippers. Thankfully that cushion allowed Los Angeles to regroup and get back into the game, before it was too late.
The Hawks had a poor shooting night, firing only 39% from the field, and 27% from three. Despite that, Atlanta battled until the very end: getting 56 rebounds, 27 points off of turnovers, and 22 second chance points.
Clutch 4th Quarter
As mentioned earlier, every Clipper player really took part in winning this game during the 4th quarter. With 2 minutes left in the game, The Clippers were down 99-104, and Atlanta tried to play the Hack-A-DJ game. Deandre had a different answer, as he hit 4 out of 5 free throws that allowed the Clippers to get back into the game.
Immediately after DJ’s clutch free throws, Jawun Evans forced a turnover on Malcolm Delaney. Jawun’s clutch defensive play allowed the Clippers to tie the game with 52 seconds left.
Lou Williams ended up missing a potential game winning 3, and Wesley Johnson grabbed a crucial rebound. That rebound set the stage for C.J William’s game winning three.
B-I-N-G-O!!!🙌@C_Will21 | #NBAVote
📸 https://t.co/S3ilrYyaXW pic.twitter.com/NHvP99i8dz— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 9, 2018
I spoke to Williams about the three post-game:
“I’ve made that shot before. Just a rhythm dribble to my left. I felt the momentum & the excitement of the moment… So I got into my rhythm dribble and shot it. I shot it with confidence & as soon as I let it go, I knew it was good.”
The Final Clip: This was a great morale boosting win for the Clippers. The win showed the team that they can win regardless of injuries, through a team effort.. Hopefully they can carry this momentum against the defending champions on Wednesday.
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