Throwback Thursday Game Series: Clippers vs Thunder Game 4
The LA Clippers have become synonymous with playoff comebacks, and Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder is one of their more underrated ones.
While there are better comebacks, like Game 2 against the Warriors, this was an unbelievable game to witness in person. The Thunder series is one that Clipper fans like to forget, especially because of how controversial Game 5 was. That being said, Game 4 was an absolutely tremendous comeback against an MVP Kevin Durant.
The Date: May 11, 2014
The Final Score: LAC 101 - OKC 99
The Scene: Game 4, Round 2 of the playoffs
Top Clipper performers:
Chris Paul: 23 pts, 10 ast, 5 reb, 4 stl, 10/23 FGs, +12
Blake Griffin: 25 pts, 2 ast, 9 reb, 8/19 FGs, +8
Darren Collison: 18 pts, 1 ast, 7 reb, 7/12 FGs, +15
Top Thunder performers:
Kevin Durant: 40 pts, 3 ast, 7 reb, 2 stl, 2 blk, 12/24 FGs, -3
Russell Westbrook: 27 pts, 8 ast, 6 reb, 10/22 FGs, +1
Serge Ibaka: 8 pts, 1 ast, 5 reb, 4 blk, 2/5 FGs, +1
Down 22 points early, it simply didn't matter to the Clippers. Despite being outplayed for nearly 40 minutes, the team clawed its way back until the very end. A 22 point deficit turned into a 12 point deficit going into the fourth quarter. From that moment on, it became a real back and forth game until the final seconds.
The Clippers' first lead of the game was 97-95 with 1:23 left. At no point in this game did it feel like the Clippers were really going to win. The Clippers shot 41% from the field, 3/21 from deep, and shot less free throws. They lost in nearly every main category except: assists, steals, and turnovers. Despite LA going on runs, the Thunder weren't going on complete scoring droughts like the Grizzlies did during the 26-1 run in the 2012 playoffs.
Even with all of the big numbers thrown around by Kevin Durant and the usual stars, the MVP of the game was Darren Collison. He came up in the clutch in a way that nobody else did during Game 4; Collison scored 8 of his 18 points in the final 2:58 of the game. The basket he made with 32 seconds left in the game to put the Clippers up 4 points was one of the loudest I've ever heard Clipper fans get. Collison pounded his head in an iconic moment as he saved the team off the bench.
The Clippers may not have won the war against the Thunder, but this was a battle no one could forget. A game that LA shouldn't have won, it was a Mother's Day miracle.
