Clippers Rise with Poise: A Statement Win Sets Playoff Tone
Man, if you didn’t catch that LA Clippers vs. Golden State Warriors game, you missed a movie. Seriously. What we saw wasn’t just a basketball game—it was a masterclass in composure under pressure, a team fully aware of what was at stake, refusing to flinch. And now? The Clippers are storming into the playoffs as the NBA’s hottest squad, riding a high that might just carry them somewhere special.
This whole vibe started Friday in Sacramento, where the Clippers nearly let it slip. A 10-point lead dissolved in under five minutes, and it came down to the Kings missing a last-second prayer. But head coach Tyronn Lue wasn’t sweating it. “Quit saying ‘concerned,’” he said. “It’s part of the game.” That calm mindset? It set the tone for what was to come.
Sunday’s matchup with the Warriors was the real test. Win and secure a playoff spot. Lose, and risk the chaos of the Play-In Tournament. And in one of the most hostile environments in the league, Chase Center, the Clippers got down early—by 12, no less. But Lue’s message stayed simple: stay the course.
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Norman Powell was struggling, Harden was navigating the offense, and Curry was doing Curry things—dropping 36, 18 of those in the fourth. Still, it was poise that prevailed. The Clippers didn’t trail once in overtime, closing it out 124-119 for their eighth straight win, a 50-win season, and the fifth seed in the West. Talk about clutch.
Kawhi Leonard was a machine—33 points, +17 on the floor, and looking like the All-NBA version of himself we hadn’t seen this healthy in years. James Harden? Man, he was cooking in OT—scoring 12 of his 39 points there, including a moonshot three over Jimmy Butler that had hangtime like a punt. That was the dagger.
Even the role players showed out. Kris Dunn gave Steph hell all game and finished with three steals. Zubac? A beast—22 points, 17 boards, zero fouls, and he out-rebounded the entire Warriors starting lineup. That's dominance.
But the message from the locker room after wasn’t about celebration—it was about the next step. “We’re not happy just being in,” said Zubac. “People said we’d win 30 or 35 games. We got 50. But we’ve got more work to do.”
And that next challenge? The reigning champs—Denver Nuggets. It’s Jokic and the revenge storyline with Westbrook. It’s a chance to write a new chapter in what’s been an underappreciated Clippers era.
Bottom line: this team found its identity through the fire. They’ve been doubted, banged up, and nearly counted out. But here they are. Poised, confident, and dangerous. The Clippers aren’t just in the playoffs—they’re arriving with something to prove. And if Sunday was any indication, they’ve got the poise to back it up.
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