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LA Clippers Comeback Win Gave Them Some National Recognition

Seth Kimbrell|
OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 15: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers is interviewed after a game against the Golden State Warriors during Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 15, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 15: Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers is interviewed after a game against the Golden State Warriors during Game Two of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 15, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

The historic 31 point comeback win on Monday night opened many eyes to the talent on this LA Clippers team, and could help going into the offseason.

This LA Clippers team is full of talent and never quits. That’s not a surprise to anybody reading this, of course, but by overcoming an historic deficit in the playoffs against the defending champs, the Clippers made sure that everybody knows it.

All regular season, the Clippers were an “oh yeah, and also” team in the national media. As in, “here are all of your contenders and good teams. Oh yeah, and also the Clippers are overachieving. But they don’t have a top 10 player, so they aren’t going to make noise in the playoffs.” Of the 82 games the Clippers played all season, only 4 were nationally televised.

It’s hard to blame the public for not knowing much about how good this team is, given that there were only 4 chances to see them if you don’t have NBATV or League Pass. And only 1 of those 4 was after the all-star break, which means only once chance to see the new-look Clippers with Landry Shamet and Ivica Zubac and the other additions.

That’s why this comeback was so important. All eyes were on this game, and the Clippers showed off like we know they can. Every NBA fan saw the lack of quit and the utter hustle and grind of this team. Suddenly there are tweets from NBA on ESPN about the team.

https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1118024996700524544

Suddenly the main ESPN account is tweeting about the unlikely comeback

Suddenly The Undefeated is talking about this team.

Suddenly everybody who watches the NBA is aware of what this team is. Everybody knows that this isn’t the Lob City Clippers anymore; these Clippers have depth and talent, and they’re going to play physically, and they’re going to fight until the very last buzzer sounds.

This can’t be anything but good for the team. One would think that each bit of national recognition the team gets would make it a little more likely to snag a big free agent; guys want to go where they’ll be seen and talked about, and the Clippers are certainly being talked about now.

The fact that the go ahead basket happened when one of our rookies, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, drove and dished it perfectly to another of our rookies, Landry Shamet, for the 3? The fact that on the national stage, our young guys, aged 20 and 22, seized the moment and hit the biggest shot of the night? Well that’s just icing on the cake to show the world how promising this team’s future is.

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