Redick’s buzzer-beater ends furious finish to Blazers-Clippers
Both the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers entered Thursday night’s contest at Staples Center in need of a win — the Clippers to end a three-game losing streak and the Blazers to move two games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks for the No. 6 seed in the West. A tight contest culminated in a back-and-forth final minute that showed just how intent both squads for to grab the victory. Unfortunately for the Blazers, the Clippers made a few more plays when they mattered most.
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Down 87-80 with 2:44 remaining in regulation, the Clippers used a 9-1 run over nearly two minutes to set up a dramatic final 50 seconds of regulation. Both teams traded big shots until the final 11 seconds, when the Blazers came out of a timeout tied 94-94 and could not get the ball to Damian Lillard thanks to terrific defense from Chris Paul. Mo Harkless missed a lay-up to give the Clippers one last chance at avoiding overtime with just 1.1 on the clock.
Chris Paul found J.J. Redick out of the timeout in just enough time to get off this attempt:
The 96-94 victory is just the second for the Clippers in their last seven contests, a stretch that has featured six games against playoff teams and several against legitimate title contenders. It has largely confirmed that the Clippers need Blake Griffin to hold out hope for the franchise’s first title, but this win will at least allow them to enter a less challenging stretch with more confidence.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
