LOS ANGELES – For most players and teams, the preseason is nothing more than a prequel to the real thing.
What Thursday provided for the Clippers may have been more than that.
In erasing a 35-point deficit, in what felt like anything but a preseason game, to beat the Trail Blazers, 115-109, the Clippers may have also learned a lesson they can carry along with them when games start to matter.
“Whenever we get down throughout the year, I’m going to go back and refer to this game,” said Paul Pierce. “The game is never over. Guys have to realize that.”
The sixth and final preseason provided everything head coach Doc Rivers and the Clippers could’ve hoped for and was a microcosm of the Clippers’ preseason as a whole, starting slow and ending with a bang.
The crowd was into it, the starters and bench both picked each other up to ignite the comeback, and the revamped backup group was there to finish off the job, even as Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers’ starting backcourt remained in the game.
“It’s just progress for us,” said Josh Smith, who swatted away one of Lillard’s shots as the Clippers stormed their way to a lead in the fourth quarter for the first time since early in the first. “It’s coming together for us. It’s good to see us have a game like that where we’re down by 30 plus and fighting through adversity and we will our way through the win.”
Portland went on a 20-0 run in the first quarter, shooting 15-for-22 from the field at that point. The Clippers had eight turnovers and had made only six field goals in the first quarter. Things got worse early in the second quarter, but the momentum started to shift late in the first half, as the Clippers closed the second quarter on a 25-8 run.
The Clippers still trailed by 18 points at that point, but the deficit didn’t last. By the end of the third quarter, that deficit was cut in half courtesy of the starters.
“It’s hard to turn a team off,” Rivers said, “but eventually we finally did.”
Then, the backups finished the job, quickly going on a 6-0 run sparked by Wesley Johnson to start the fourth quarter and get within three points of the lead. At that point, the game was up for grabs, and the Clippers took firm grasp, outscoring the Trail Blazers by 24 points in the second half.
“It was really fun,” Johnson said. “That’s how you’re supposed to play. Down 30, 35 and come back like that? Regardless of preseason or not, that builds good character for the team. It shows we’re not going to give up.”
Johnson, Austin Rivers, Josh Smith and Paul Pierce combined to score 44 points off the bench for the Clippers on 20-of-33 shooting. It was especially their work from long range, with Rivers, Johnson and Pierce combining to go 9-of-13 from behind the arc, which put the dagger in Portland and sent the Clippers roaring out of preseason action.
At one point, Pierce knocked down a 3-pointer on three straight possessions.
“That’s just what we expect out of him,” Johnson said.
Blake Griffin finished with 22 points and eight rebounds. DeAndre Jordan added eight points and 13 rebounds. J.J. Redick had 16 points, while Lance Stephenson made his second straight start at small forward and finished with nine points, four rebounds and four assists.
Jamal Crawford did not play due to a right triceps contusion he suffered in practice, but Doc Rivers said afterward he doesn’t believe the injury to be serious.
NOTES: The Clippers have now wrapped up the preseason with a 3-3 record and begin regular season play Oct. 28 at Sacramento … Lance Stephenson earned his second straight start of the preseason at small forward … Doc Rivers said afterward Johnson seems more comfortable with the second unit, but it’s something he still wants to evaluate … Doc Rivers said he’s liked seeing quicker decision making from both Stephenson and Johnson … The Clippers won despite committing 24 turnovers … The Clippers forced Portland to shoot just 14-of-44 in the second half and won despite 39 points from Lillard …
