The Clippers were not able to come up with a victory versus San Antonio at home Sunday. But the way they rallied could be an encouraging sign for the team's potential success as the 2009-10 season moves on. After falling behind by 16 points in the first quarter, the Clippers seemed to pick up their energy on offense and defense. There was Eric Gordon making determined drives to the basket for profit rather than settling for long three-point attempts. And there was Baron Davis making a spirited drive down the court with only a few seconds remaining in the first half. Plus, Steve Novak, who seemingly hasn't been involved in a lot of impressive defensive plays lately, stood his ground and took a charge when San Antonio's DeJuan Blair barreled towards the basket.
Granted, the Spurs ended up shooting 57.3 percent from the field and eventually pulled away from the Clippers once their jumpers started falling. But the Clippers did not give up once faced with a large deficit to an apparently strong team that has won four NBA championships since the 1998-99 season.
And if they can play hard for 48 minutes, they ought to have a good chance of defeating some of the NBA's contenders. The Washington Wizards will visit Staples Center Monday.
SPURS 115, CLIPPERS 90: The Clippers could not sustain their momentum after rallying in the second and third quarters at home Tuesday. Baron Davis had 20 points off of the bench, but the rest of the reserves could only tally 12 points compared to the 57 points the Spurs netted from their backups.
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