5 things: Short-handed Clippers come back from double-digit deficit to beat Magic
Regressing to the mean
The Clippers were a top-3 three-point shooting team last season (they ranked third in makes and third in percentage). This season they're in the bottom 10, and it's been a real issue. Regression to the mean suggested that the Clippers were eventually due for a good shooting performance, and tonight was the night -- even without J.J. Redick and Chris Paul. Wesley Johnson (21 points on 6-of-12 three-point shooting and 7 rebounds) and Jamal Crawford (32 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 6-of-9 on threes) enjoyed their best shooting games of the season, respectively, and saved the Clippers' sporadic offense with several timely 3s. It's not sustainable, but L.A. needed its role players to step up, and tonight they did.
Comeback Clips return
The Clippers have been so dangerous in the CP3 era because when their offense is humming, they can bury teams. No lead was safe against them, and that manifested in over a dozen or so remarkable comebacks over the past few years. This year, though, the Clippers were 0-7 when trailing heading into the fourth quarter. When a team got a lead on them, they folded. Perhaps some of that was residue from their playoff loss to the Rockets, or because of their heart-breaking losses to Golden State earlier this season. Perhaps that's reading too much into it. But to come back without Paul and Redick in the fourth quarter against a young and hungry Magic team is a testament to the team's resilience.
Knocking the hustle
There were several instances when the Clippers -- bigs, smalls, whomever -- just stood around and watched as the Magic grabbed offensive rebound after offensive rebound, finishing with 15 overall. The Clippers lost the rebounding battle again -- what's new? -- and were destroyed in the paint (52-32 points in the paint advantage for Orlando). Things got so bad that the Staples Crowd booed the team at the 7:01 mark of the fourth after the Magic grabbed its 14th offensive rebound and called timeout. There is no excuse for the lack of effort they display on certain defensive possessions. Paul and Redick would have helped in that regard, but again, this is a collective effort that comes down to positioning, effort and basketball IQ.
Rotation rounding into form?
This was likely Doc Rivers' best rotation/minute distribution of the season. Crawford picked up two early fouls, which forced Rivers to bring in Lance Stephenson, and then insert Wesley Johnson for Luc Mbah a Moute earlier to open the floor instead of playing two non-shooters together. The decision paid off, as Johnson enjoyed his best game of the season. Rivers also played DeAndre Jordan (15 points, 14 rebounds) and Blake Griffin (28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists) 37 and 39 minutes, respectively, which prevented the Magic from extending their second-half lead. The lone exception would be getting a bit more time for Josh Smith (11 minutes), but that's about it.
Still need #FullSquad
For as deep as they are, the Clippers are still a top-heavy team that's over-reliant on the play of their four best players -- Griffin, Paul, Jordan and Redick. Taking out Paul and Redick forced the Clippers' backup backcourt into a mismatch duel with Elfrid Payton (21 points, 8 assists, 4 steals) and Victor Oladipo (24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists). It's unclear how much longer Paul and Redick will be out -- Doc Rivers says he hopes Redick can return for Monday's game in Minnesota -- but the more time they miss, the deeper the hole the Clips will likely have to climb out of to make up ground on the top of the West.
