OAKLAND, CA -- After leading by as many as 21 points late in the fourth quarter it seemed as if most of the Clippers players – and staff – already saw themselves in the next game.
Around the 4 minute mark in the last period the Clippers, who were already letting their bench warmers getting some minutes, witnessed their comfortable double digit lead vanish thanks to a late burst of the Warriors’ offense. The Dubs managed to go on a 19 – 4 run only to find themselves down by 6 points instead of 21 a couple of minutes back.
The Clippers were able to stay alive in the last seconds though, winning the game by six points.
“If [the game] went on just one or two minutes longer, we would’ve won it” said Warriors guard Monta Ellis, who chipped in a game high 33 points.
Until late in the third the game was very evenly balanced, the score at the break was a round 50-50.
Playing his first regular season game in his career, Blake Griffin struggled in the first half, only scoring 4 points. He picked up his game in the second half though, finishing with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a blocked shot.
Baron Davis contributed a large part of the Clippers’ offense tonight, even though he only scored 8 points on 2 for 8 shooting. What kept the offense in tact was his phenomenal passing, as he dished out 15 assists over the course of the game.
Rookie Eric Bledsoe had a decent game, scoring 10 points in just 13 minutes.
Eric Gordon was the Clippers’ high point man with 23.
In his first game in a Warriors uniform, David Lee had rough shooting night, scoring 10 points on 3/12 field goals. He did grab eight boards though.
The Clippers will look to improve to 2-0 when they face the Pistons back at Staples for their home opener.
