Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors played the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center on Monday night. They were on the short end of the score as the Clippers beat them 121-116 in overtime. This Clipper team, coached by Doc Rivers, does not resemble the Clippers of past seasons. Guard Chris Paul was traded to Houston before the start of the season last year. Blake Griffin was sent to Detroit halfway through the 2017-18 season, and center DeAndre Jordan is now with Dallas.

The revamped Clipper lineup now features Marcin Gortat at center. Gortat came to LA when the Clippers sent guard Austin Rivers to Washington. Forwards Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris have led the Clippers in scoring. Gallinari is averaging 19.4 point-per-game, and Harris ‘ average is slightly better with 20.4 PPG. Patrick Beverley and Shai Gilfeous-Alexander hold down the guard positions. Montrezel Harrell and Lou Williams are the key players coming off the bench for LA.

The Warriors fell behind early in the first quarter and the only time they didn’t trail in the entire game was when they tied the score at 28 with 2:21 left in the first quarter. The Clippers regained the lead and led by four, 34-30, after the first 12 minutes of action.

The second quarter was more of the same. The Clippers maintained the lead and every time the Warriors closed the gap, the Clippers responded with a bucket. The Warriors trailed by two 57-53 with 3:32 to play in the first half. LA increased the lead to 60-55, but the Warriors cut the lead to one 62-61 on a Kevin Durant 3-pointer. LA responded with a bucket and finished the first half ahead 64-61.

Durant was the only Warrior in double figures in the first half. He finished the half with 21 points. Klay Thompson was second with seven. Thompson went cold and was 3-for-11 in the half. Quinn Cook had 4, Kevon Looney 6, and Andre Iguodala 7.

The Clippers had four starters in double-digits. Gortat had 10, Gallinari 12, Harris, 11, Gilgeous-Alexander 10, and Harrell had 9 coming off the bench.

Thompson hit a bucket to start the third quarter, and the Warriors trailed by one. The Clippers went on a 6-0 run and led 70-63. The Warriors could not get anything going as LA continued to outplay them on both ends of the court. The Warriors, who had just three turnovers in the first half, turned the ball over eight times. There was no spark in their play. With 1:26 left, Kevin Durant had to sit down as he committed his fifth foul. Things looked bad as there was no one to pick up the slack on offense and the defense could not stop the Clippers. The Clippers led 90-81 after three quarters.

LA continued to take the game to the Warriors. They led by 13, 103-90, as the game was winding down. Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr inserted Durant back into the game and the Warriors, behind Thompson and Durant, went on a 16-5 run to tie the game at 106 as time ran out and the game went to overtime.

The Warriors went ahead 109-106 when Andre Iguodala knocked down a three. With 3:53 to play, the referees called a foul on Durant, and he was done for the night. Thompson hit a three to put the Warriors up 111-108. The Clippers came back and tied the game. The Warriors tied it again at 113. The Warriors’ nemesis, Lou Williams, made a two-point shot, but was fouled on the play. Williams made the free throw. The Clips increased the lead to 116-113, but Thompson connected on another three to tie it at 116. The Warriors did not score again. Williams scored the last five points of the night, and the Clippers won 121-116.

Game Notes and Stats: Steph Curry did not play Monday night. However, Draymond Green and Shaun Livingston returned to action.

With the loss, the Warriors are now 11-3 for the year, and the Clippers are now 8-5. The new-look Clippers beat both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Warriors in overtime.

Kevin Durant had a monster night for Golden State in a losing effort. He knocked down 33 points, recorded 11 rebounds, and had 9 assists.

Klay Thompson scored 31. Thompson had seven in the first half and got hot late in the game to score 24 in the second half.

Andre Iguodala was the only other Warrior in double figures with 14.

The Clippers had four starters in double-digits: Gortat had 12, Gallinari 14, Harris 17, Gilgeous-Alexander 18, Montrezel Harrell, who came to LA from Houston in the trade for Chris Paul, had a big night with 23 point and 8 rebounds. Lou Williams kicked in with 25. Williams had 11 from the floor and was 14 for 14 from the 3-point line.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm PT.