There was point midway through the fourth quarter, when it became apparent that no matter the outcome of Sunday night’s matchup with the defending champion Golden State Warriors, the Clippers clearly belong among the best teams in the Western Conference.
It wasn’t the voluminous 3-point shooting. It wasn’t the brilliance of Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris. Or even the grittiness of Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell. Those things were all there. For the most part, it was quite simply a sense that the Clippers, even amidst what would be a heart-wrenching, 129-127, loss in Oakland, have both the personnel and sticktoitiveness to survive.