About Last Night: The Clippers do the story

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The Los Angeles Clippers on Monday made the biggest comeback in their history in the NBA playoffs, scoring 31 points midway through the third quarter to shock the Golden State Warriors in the second game, 135-131.

These are the raw facts, and they speak for themselves. Let it sink in: Best back in the history of the NBA playoffs.

And yet, these details do not sum up the magnitude of what happened at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, where the two-time defending champions were about to take an early lead 2-0 to the strange inconsistencies that threatened them. the whole season has once again raised his ugly head at the worst possible moment.

"We had exactly what we deserved," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Like the Clippers, who held up well at 28 and 25 points to win games in the regular season.

"That's what we've been all season," said Lou Williams, sixth man of the Clippers.

Fleeing by 31 with 19:31 remaining, they proceeded to take on the Warriors 72-37 from the rest of the way. (A few points of view: it's only two points lower than the Indiana Pacers scored in the 84-74 defeat against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.) While the Clippers shot 69% of the 39 latest throws , the Warriors have done almost nothing. , missed in 19 of their last 27 attempts – with 14 turnovers. It was a shocking demonstration of negligence and inefficiency on the part of a team that, at its best, almost seems to play a different sport.

Williams fueled hell with 26 of his 36 points in the crucial last few minutes, while his compatriot, the sparkling Montrezl Harrell, scored 15 of 25 in the fourth.

And what would be a Clippers victory without fuss on the part of irritating Patrick Beverley of the Hall of Fame, who helped limit Kevin Durant to just eight shots in 34 minutes before committing a serious foul. Beverley was surpassed at one point, committing two fouls during Durant and pushed him to commit two offensive fouls in just 47 seconds.

Beverley also failed on a flop in which Draymond Green took immense pleasure.

But it was not that long before the Clippers went to the party, returning to the Staples Center for Games 3 and 4 with the advantage of the field, while the Warriors tried to pick up the pieces without looking at the center. DeMarcus Cousins ​​for a long time with what Kerr called a "fairly important" quad injury.

"It's a tough feeling," said Stephen Curry, who finished with 29 points. "We're talking to each other, we're trying to see how we're going to go ahead and use that as fuel for match 3. But other than that, it's just the playoffs, everything is reinforced. the details that separate champions from others. "

Big Ben book

The opening match of Saturday's first round between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets was an event that Ben Simmons would forget about right away.

In addition to fighting for one of his least productive outings this season (nine points, seven rebounds, three assists), the Sixers All-Star aggravated its defeat by attacking the Philadelphia fans for, say, less. reaction more than enthusiastic when the first game escaped.

(Translation: They followed a dedicated civic tradition and booed the local team for its mediocre play.)

Simmons stepped back with these criticisms, then took things in hand in the second game with his second career playoff double, as the 76ers went wild. route to recording on the Nets to equalize the series to 1-1.

The Sixers broke the playoff marks of the franchise, which had lasted 49 and 52 years, respectively, with 51 points in the third quarter and 145 points in total. Their 51 points tied the Lakers' 57-year record for the most points ever in the playoffs, and this is only the third time an NBA team has reached the 50-point mark in one game. period.

At the individual level, Simmons collected 18 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to equal Wilt Chamberlain (of course) and Charles Barkley as unique players in the team annals with multiple triple-doubles in the playoffs.

Despite the final final, the first half was a real fight as the Sixers took a slight advantage from one point to the break. They could largely thank Simmons, who scored 13 of their first 26 goals.

He counted six more buckets in this third place, and the rout was launched. At one point in the wave, Simmons delighted the same fans who were expressing their disgust two days ago by listening to the crowd like the great Allen Iverson of the Sixers – who, along with Dikembe Mutombo, was present and took advantage of the action.

Combined with a handful of other solid performances, including 23 points and 10 rebounds from fellow All-Star Joel Embiid, even a Jimmy Butler's night of rest (seven points in 30 minutes) could not slow down the Sixers machine, nor the man who led it. .

"I was thinking about the boos of the last game," Simmons said of his homage to Iverson. "I have a lot of love for this city, I was just showing it, and the rush I try to give every game is not just for my teammates and my family, but for the city."

Ben Simmons achieves the triple doubles in the second match.

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