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

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 15: Danilo Gallinari #8 of the LA Clippers high-fives Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers against the Chicago Bulls on March 15, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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5. Clippers mount a comeback in Boston

Just two days after the NBA’s trade deadline, the Clippers headed to Beantown to face off against the Boston Celtics. Having traded arguably its best player in Tobias Harris, many had assumed L.A. had given up on a playoff run, instead, looking to retain a first round pick that would otherwise head to the Cs.

The Clippers played into that narrative early on, allowing Boston to outscore them 43-20 after one quarter and build up a lead as high as 28 over the first 24 minutes of action. The first half of the season was a great run, but with the hole the size of a 20.9 points per game scorer to fill in Harris, it wouldn’t help them overcome what they so clearly showed to be lacking.

Except, things changed after halftime. L.A.’s defense was incredible in holding the Celtics to just 12 points in the third quarter while scoring 28 of its own to cut the lead to five heading into the final frame. Then, the Clippers seemed to flip the script with production similar to that of Boston’s in the first quarter, with a 42-26 advantage that helped them climb all the way back to claim a 123-112 victory.

The 28-point comeback was at the time the largest in franchise history (more on that later) and gave L.A. a 31-26 record. Eight players managed to score in double figures, including the recently acquired Landry Shamet, who hit 4-of-7 3-pointers to finish with 17 points.

Harris did great things during his brief stint in Los Angeles and played a large role in the team’s early-season success. While his absence may have affected most teams, the Clippers weren’t one of them, and they showed that with a spirited comeback against a Celtics squad finding its own groove having won 10 of its last 12 games.

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