Eric Gordon has played a vital role in restoring the Clippers' playoff push. Indiana's college hoops rivalry with Illinois is partly responsible.
Kawhi Leonard scored 30 as the Clippers were able to survive Stephen Curry’s 50-point performance in a 134-126 win over the Golden State Warriors., the 34-year-old, 6-foot-3 reserve guard whose 89 fourth-quarter minutes since his Clippers season debut Feb. 14 are the team’s second-highest total in that span, surpassed only by George’s 104.
Before Gordon was a 15-year NBA pro, he was one of America’s top recruits, a guard built like a safety who could will the ball into the hoop. His verbal commitment to Illinois caused pandemonium. So did his decision to back out of his non-binding commitment and switch allegiances to conference-rival Indiana after the Hoosiers hired coach Kelvin Sampson.
Also late in the game, ESPN reported at the time, beads were thrown at a section of fans that included Gordon’s parents. Gordon recalled Wednesday that for that game, four security guards had been hired to protect his parents.The supreme self-confidence of Clippers coach Tyronn Lue bleeds into his players, fueling record comebacks from deep deficits.
“In college, nothing was really going our way. We had a great team, they always wanted to fire the coach, they fired him and our season ended bad — and then the Illinois stuff. It was just good to have that experience.”Given his long-range credentials, Gordon’s shooting threat would be the primary reason to keep him in late, but he has shot just 32% in the fourth as a Clipper, including just four for 18 on three-point attempts.
Gordon isn’t the only newcomer to tell Lue that message of sacrifice. Gordon’s emergence as a closer has often sidelined the starting guard, Russell Westbrook. Yet Westbrook was again impactful in his 27 minutes, with 15 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and no turnovers while staying disciplined with what shots he took against a defense baiting him to take uncontested jump shots.
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