NBA: Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers

Merry Christmas. Today, we get to see the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers square off at the Staples Center. On this jolly holiday, one of the NBA’s best rivalries will battle for a valuable win in the Western Conference. These teams don’t like each other, that’s not secret. The last time these two teams faced off at Staples Center it was a pre-season game, but it felt like a playoff game.

This one will be fun to watch, but just in case you can’t here’s our instant recap:

 1st Quarter:

Deandre Jordan gets the building to erupt with an emphatic dunk. However, Draymond Green hit a three and Steph Curry followed with a couple buckets of his own. The Clippers couldn’t buy a basket and the Warriors took an early 8 point lead. The Clippers looked flat. You could tell the refs were calling the game tight, they didn’t want tempers to flare. Marreese Speights picked up two fouls and David Lee came into the game. The Warriors went on a cold streak of their own. Lee broke that streak with an easy dunk and the Warriors maintained their 8 point lead. Steph Curry picks up his second foul late in the first. Coach Kerr, unhappy with the officiating, gets hit with a technical foul. Clippers cut the lead down to 3. Jamal Crawford tied the game with a three pointer. At the end of one, the Warriors lead 20-18. Curry leads the Warriors with 5 points.

2nd Quarter:

Andre Iguodala got things started in the second quarter with a thunderous slam. Lee then followed by posting up Big Baby Davis and finishing up with a turnaround hook shot. Jamal Crawford is single handedly keeping the Clippers in this game. With their small line-up, the Warriors are having trouble rebounding the ball. Iggy had a chance to extend their lead with another big dunk, but couldn’t convert. Klay Thompson finally got going and scored five quick points. Both teams starting making baskets, both offenses looked dead at one point. The Warriors really started clicking, like they did to open the game. The Clippers came finished the quarter strong and once again found themselves down by one. The 9-0 run helped the Clips to finish the half with great momentum.

3rd Quarter

Both teams came out aggressive to start the second half. The Warriors used a turnover to extend their lead to 5, but Matt Barnes quickly responded with a shot from long distance. This is the game everybody was expecting, all offense. Warriors finally lose the lead with seven minutes remaining after another Barnes bucket. Both teams are trading blows, this promised to be a great finish. The Clippers had the momentum and the crowd was getting into it. CP3 got an and-one and followed it with a three to give the Clippers a six point lead, the crowd went wild. It’s not looking good for the Warriors, the Clippers are getting all the calls. Curry gives the Warriors some life with a quick jumper. Warriors cut the lead to 3 with a bucket from Lee, the Clippers kept forgetting about him.

4th Quarter

A strip by Iggy gave Barnes an easy bucket to start the fourth. However, Crawford and Griffin scored five points and extended their lead to four. The Warriors are within striking distance, they just need to get into a rhythm. Warriors got sloppy and and the deficit was now at 8. Things were getting out of control and the Warriors were in danger of losing this game big. Jamal Crawford single handedly gave the Clippers a 12 point lead, he scored six points in about two minutes. Nothing was going right or in for the Warriors. The Clippers were making all their shots and the Warriors were fighting to stay alive. Warriors can’t buy a bucket. A Crawford three seals it for the Clippers with only three minutes remaining in the game.

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