The Clippers opened the preseason October 4 with a 104-101 win over the Warriors at home, a game with 17 lead changes and seven ties that stayed tight to the final possession. Rui Hachimura and Darius Garland were the most efficient scorers, while a bench group led by Keaton Wagler and Cam Christie closed it out with Ingram, Beal, Sanders and Strus all unavailable.
The finish turned on a block, not a shot.
With 14 seconds left, Keaton Wagler's step-back jumper put the Clippers ahead 102-101. Golden State called back-to-back timeouts to set up a final look, but Blake Wesley blocked Miles Kelly's 11-foot jumper at the horn. Cam Christie grabbed the rebound, drew a foul on Malevy Leons and made both free throws to make it 104-101.
The bench outscored the starters, 53 to 46.
Keaton Wagler scored 15 points with six rebounds and three assists over 30 minutes, but needed 15 field-goal attempts to get there, making just 3-of-15 from the floor and 1-of-11 from three. Cam Christie added eight points, eight rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes and finished plus-7. Baba Miller added nine points and six rebounds, and Blake Wesley chipped in eight points with a steal and a block off the bench.
Hachimura and Garland were the efficient ones in limited minutes.
Rui Hachimura scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three, in just 15 minutes, finishing plus-7. Darius Garland matched that efficiency with 15 points on 4-of-4 shooting, 3-of-3 from three and six assists in his own 15 minutes, finishing plus-9, the best mark on the team. Jalen Pickett sat at the other end, finishing minus-8 in 14 minutes and losing his spot in the closing lineup to Nick Martinelli.
The Clippers are shorthanded with four regulars out, and the next test is six days away.
Brandon Ingram (partially torn Achilles), Bradley Beal (knee), Kobe Sanders (hip) and Max Strus (ankle) were all unavailable, pushing minutes to players like Wagler, Miller and Martinelli who are new to the rotation. The Clippers do not play again until October 10 at Toronto, with the regular-season opener against the Kings still two and a half weeks out, on October 21.
Who scored the most points for the Clippers in their preseason win over the Warriors?
Rui Hachimura led with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 15 minutes, and Darius Garland added 15 points and six assists.
How did the Clippers close out the win over the Warriors?
Keaton Wagler's step-back jumper gave the Clippers the lead with 14 seconds left, Blake Wesley blocked Miles Kelly's potential go-ahead shot, and Cam Christie made two free throws to seal the 104-101 final.
