Terance Mann scores 39 as LA Clippers erase 25-point deficit, make first Western Conference finals

LOS ANGELES — Patrick Beverley, Terance Mann and Reggie Jackson stood on the courtroom and urged the primary sellout crowd at Staples Heart in over a yr to cheer even louder as historical past was unfolding in dramatic trend.

For the primary time of their 51-year historical past, the LA Clippers are going to the Western Convention finals. They usually did it the one manner this star-crossed franchise might — the arduous manner.

Falling behind by 25 within the opening seconds of the third quarter, the Clippers mounted a livid and historic comeback, occurring an inconceivable 75-40 run to remove the Utah Jazz 131-119 and advance to face the Phoenix Suns.

“This was my first time experiencing a crowd like this,” mentioned Paul George, who grew up in Palmdale, a suburb simply exterior Los Angeles, and joined Kawhi Leonard in 2019 to take the Clippers additional than that they had ever been. “It was only a particular evening. You felt it, the cheers, the thrill. You felt the monkey off of the Clippers’ again by way of getting out of the second spherical.”

Simply over 9 months after blowing a 3-1 lead within the second spherical in embarrassing trend to the Denver Nuggets final postseason, LA accomplished an epic comeback that set off a tidal wave of feelings from a fan base that has skilled principally heartache and frustration.

The Clippers are normally those on the fallacious finish of inconceivable comebacks. However not this postseason. They trailed by 22 on the half and accomplished the biggest halftime comeback in a series-clinching win in NBA historical past, in line with ESPN Stats & Info analysis. In addition they grew to become the primary staff to erase a 20-plus-point deficit in a series-clinching win over the previous 25 seasons.

“I used to be right here after we have been an eighth seed, celebrating simply to get into the playoffs,” mentioned Beverley, who has been with the staff since 2017. “To complete a recreation like this, to make historical past, it’s particular as a result of [I’ve poured] blood, sweat and tears into this s—. Accidents, associates getting traded … to be the final man standing and write historical past is particular.”

Probably the most memorable comeback in Clippers historical past was ignited by Mann. Beginning for the second straight recreation for an injured Leonard, the second-year ahead who averaged 7.0 factors per recreation this season delivered the sport of his life. Mann scored 39 factors and hit 7 of 10 3-pointers for LA.

“I simply needed to lock in and do what I needed to do,” mentioned Mann, the No. 48 choose within the 2019 draft. “They have been leaving me open.”

With Leonard watching contained in the constructing, George accomplished a terrific sequence with a close to triple-double of 28 factors, 9 rebounds and seven assists to go together with 3 steals. And Jackson continued his stellar postseason with extra clutch pictures, scoring 22 of his 27 factors and dishing all 10 of his assists within the second-half comeback.

The Clippers wanted the whole lot they might muster to beat Donovan Mitchell. The hobbled Utah star wouldn’t exit with out a struggle, scoring 39 factors and hitting 9 of 15 triples to go together with 9 assists and 9 rebounds on a foul ankle.

“It hasn’t absolutely sunk in for me but,” Mitchell, who was a game-time determination, mentioned of being eradicated from the playoffs. “I’m nonetheless in shock. … I don’t know what the hell I’m going to be doing subsequent week. I’ll most likely be sitting right here, mad as hell, watching the video games and doing no matter. … That is gonna eat at me for a very long time watching the Clippers and the Suns play within the convention finals.”

The Clippers have been beforehand 0-8 all time with an opportunity to clinch a convention finals look. That they had misplaced these video games by a mean of 14.9 factors.

However Friday’s win not solely put an finish to what was the longest dropping streak with an opportunity to make a convention finals in NBA historical past but additionally helped shut among the wounds from final yr’s playoff collapse within the bubble.

“One of many largest issues we attempt to do from day one is wash it,” Jackson mentioned of final yr’s collapse. “Wash the season we had behind us. It’s simpler mentioned than performed. Deliver a bit of of that animosity, a bit of little bit of that bitter style from final yr, nevertheless it was an entire new staff.”

This postseason, the Clippers made their very own historical past. They trailed Utah 2-0 however gained 4 straight after that to grow to be the primary staff in NBA historical past to beat a number of 2-0 sequence deficits in a single postseason. They have been down 2-0 within the first spherical to the Dallas Mavericks earlier than profitable that sequence in seven video games.

With 17,105 followers packing Staples Heart for a basketball recreation for the primary time since earlier than the coronavirus pandemic after well being restrictions have been lifted in California, the Clippers overcame a scorching begin by Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson. With Jazz place to begin guard Mike Conley Jr. taking part in within the sequence for the primary time since injuring his hamstring within the first spherical, Mitchell shook off his harm early and scored 16 factors within the first quarter on an array of dazzling drives to the basket to go together with three 3-pointers. After which Clarkson caught hearth, scoring 17 straight at one level within the second quarter to assist Utah go into the half up 72-50.

Utah pushed the result in 75-50, however Mann wouldn’t let the Clippers fold. He scored 20 factors in slightly below 9 minutes, and LA minimize it to 90-88 earlier than heading into the fourth down three.

Clippers coach Ty Lue’s determination to go small paid off for the second straight sequence. Mann, who’s 6-foot-5, did numerous his harm on Rudy Gobert, the 7-1 Defensive Participant of the 12 months. Mann scored 30 of his 39 with Gobert as the first defender, changing into the third participant to attain 30 in opposition to a single main defender in a playoff recreation, in line with ESPN Stats & Data knowledge.

“You noticed a full full recreation from a second-year participant,” George mentioned. “I imply, you noticed him stretch the ground. You noticed him defensively. You noticed him rebound. You noticed him muscle his technique to the basket. You simply noticed so many flashes of so many various issues. He did it in essentially the most essential a part of the sport. I feel that’s what’s most spectacular.

“Actually, he single-handedly willed us again by that stretch the place he simply — 3 after 3 to downhill assaults to defending. He did all of it.”

The Jazz couldn’t cease the Clippers, who shot 30-for-42 (71.4%) within the second half, the best share in a second half of a playoff recreation over the previous 25 postseasons.

After Nicolas Batum hit a 3 to offer the Clippers a 107-100 lead with 8:40 remaining, the Jazz took a timeout. Throughout that timeout and each that adopted, Beverley, Mann and Jackson stored prodding Clippers followers to get louder.

When Lue took out his starters with 37.9 seconds remaining, the celebration was nicely underway, with Mann as the ultimate starter to go to the bench to thunderous applause.

The LA Clippers are heading to the convention finals, leaving the Pelicans and Hornets because the final two energetic franchises to have by no means been to that spherical.

Mentioned Lue, who changed Doc Rivers after final yr’s playoff meltdown: “Simply seeing our followers and the way they stayed to the tip and the way they have been cheering, it simply felt good. … The staff has been ravenous for achievement, and the fan base has been doing the identical factor.”

The previous Lakers level guard then mentioned the Clippers’ rivals’ fan base ought to take part on the celebration.

“I do know the Lakers are out and there’s numerous Laker followers right here,” Lue mentioned. “However as soon as the Lakers are gone, if we’re not taking part in the Lakers, you have to be cheering for the Clippers as a result of it’s multi function metropolis. I can simply really feel the love, and I’m very glad and pleased with our guys.”