Los Angeles Clippers: Top 10 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season

1. L.A. pulls off a historic playoff comeback in Game 2

In a time of the NBA where teams can score 10 points in under two minutes of action with a barrage of 3-pointers, no lead is ever truly safe from those who are forced to protect it. That sentiment rang true in Game 2 of L.A.’s first round matchup with the Warriors in a game likely to stand the test of time as one of the most memorable in playoff history.

The Clippers fell into a giant hole midway through the third quarter, trailing by 31 points. By that point in time, the game seemed all but won by Golden State. Many on the eastern seaboard admitted as much, opting to gain some extra shut-eye rather than stay up late into the night hoping for the unexpected.

With the Dubs up 31 midway through the third period, they were given a 99.9 percent chance at a victory. That figure was 99.5 percent with just under eight minutes to go, up 16. The Clippers had been a phenomenal underdog story all season long, but it was clear that with the championship now in play, Golden State would climb to a level no other team has proven capable of hanging with.

What was supposed to be an extended period of garbage time wound up slowly being chipped away at by this resilient L.A. team. A seemingly insurmountable deficit was cut to 14 heading into the final frame, where a 41-23 advantage by the Clippers helped complete the improbable comeback and secure a 135-131 victory.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1118035057007112192

It was the biggest comeback in NBA postseason history, and everything about it was remarkable. Los Angeles scored 85 points in the second half. Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell led the team in scoring despite coming off the bench, with 36 and 25 points, respectively.

The shot that put the Clippers up for good was the result of a tremendous read and react play made by rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and a big time 3-point make by rookie Landry Shamet with under 30 seconds remaining.

That their biggest play of the season came from two NBA freshman in a game of historic proportions say everything one needs to know about this team. They’re an equal-opportunity employer that plays independent of the scoreboard.

Upon falling behind big, the Clippers weren’t supposed to win Game 2. Then again, there’s a lot of things they weren’t predicted to accomplish throughout the 2018-19 season. Through all the surprising wins and performances, they continued to defy conventional wisdom. It was this epic comeback, though, that encapsulated it all and showed everyone watching how far sheer effort can take a basketball team.