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Clippers upset Warriors with biggest comeback in NBA playoff history

By Alex Butler
Los Angeles Clippers guard Landry Shamet (20) hit a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining to give his squad a late lead in a win against the Golden State Warriors Monday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI
Los Angeles Clippers guard Landry Shamet (20) hit a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining to give his squad a late lead in a win against the Golden State Warriors Monday at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo

April 16 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Clippers stormed back from a 31-point deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of a first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Los Angeles' monster comeback resulted in a 135-131 victory Monday at Oracle Arena in Oakland and tied the series 1-1. It was also the largest comeback in NBA playoff history.

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''That's a record we didn't necessarily want to have," Clippers star Lou Williams told reporters. "We'll take it."

"You're competitive and you get lost in the game. Once you cut the lead to 12, you cut the lead to 10, then you realize you've got a game going. I'm one of those guys who can get hot.''

Golden State led 94-63 after Kevin Durant made a free throw with 7:31 remaining in the third quarter before the Clippers rallied. Los Angeles went on an 11-2 run and outscored Golden State 44-35 in the third frame.

The Clippers went on a 15-2 run to open the fourth quarter, cutting the Warriors' lead to three points with 5:34 remaining in the game. Golden State briefly held their opponent off before Lou Williams tied the score with a fadeaway jump shot with 1:10 remaining.

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The Clippers took a 133-131 advantage on Landry Shamet's 3-pointer with 16.5 seconds remaining. Montrezl Harrell sank two free throw attempts in the final seconds to clinch the dramatic victory.

"We stopped playing," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We kinda disconnected mid third quarter and lost our defensive edge. They scored 85 points in the second half. We had really done a good job defensively in the first half. You kinda messed with the game a little bit. When you do that, you are in some trouble, especially in the playoffs."

Williams led the Clippers with a game-high 36 points and 11 assists. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 29 points. Harrell posted 25 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Danilo Gallinari scored 24 points for the Clippers.

Los Angeles' comeback topped the previous record 29-point comeback by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1989 Western Conference semifinals.

The Warriors and Clippers take the floor for Game 3 of the first-round series at 10:30 p.m. Thursday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

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