Keaton Wagler’s late jumper lifts Clippers past Warriors 104-101

A second-quarter surge, then a last-minute swing

The game changed shape twice before the final buzzer. Golden State edged the opening quarter 24-23, but the Clippers seized control in the second with a 32-point period that turned a one-point deficit into a 55-43 halftime lead. Rui Hachimura and Darius Garland drove that swing: Hachimura scored from deep at 10:02 and 9:38, then added mid-range makes at 5:27 and 4:38, while Garland hit from 28 feet at 8:14, from 27 feet at 6:11 and added three free throws at 5:48.

The Warriors did not let the game drift away. They won the third quarter 30-22 and chipped the margin down to four by the break, 77-73. Charles Bassey kept them moving inside with finishes at 10:45, 8:47, 8:12 and 2:35, Brandon Williams supplied seven points in the quarter, and Gary Payton II scored six straight late in the period to pull Golden State level at 71-71 before the Clippers carried a narrow edge into the fourth.

The closing minute delivered the sharpest turn. Malevy Leons tied it 97-97 with 1:19 left, then Miles Kelly put Golden State ahead 99-97 at 59.9 seconds. Blake Wesley answered with a basket and free throw at 45.7 for a 100-99 Clippers lead, Graham Ike tipped in the next Warriors basket at 27.5 for 101-100, and Wagler settled it with the shot that finally held. Christie’s two free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining gave the Clippers the last word in a game that featured 17 lead changes.

Hachimura and Garland gave Los Angeles its base

The Clippers won because their best early work was clean and efficient. Hachimura scored 21 points in 15 minutes, shooting 8 for 11 overall and 4 for 5 from three-point range. Garland matched that precision in his own way, finishing with 15 points and six assists while going 4 for 4 from the field, 3 for 3 from deep and 4 for 5 at the line. Those two accounted for 36 points on just 15 made shots, and that efficiency covered for a team night that otherwise sat at 40 per cent from the floor.

Los Angeles still needed support once Golden State pushed back. Wagler finished with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists, and although his shooting line was rough at 3 for 15 overall and 1 for 11 from three, he kept producing at the line and delivered the decisive jumper. Christie added eight points, eight rebounds and three assists, Baba Miller chipped in nine points and six rebounds, and Wesley’s late three-point play at 45.7 seconds was every bit as important as the final shot.

Our take

This was the kind of win the Clippers will accept without pretending it was tidy. They overcame 22 total turnovers, including one team turnover, and Golden State turned those mistakes into 28 points. What rescued Los Angeles was a stronger night in the margins that still count late: a 52-49 rebounding edge, 11 made threes to Golden State’s six, and 29 made free throws to the Warriors’ 21. Seven blocks helped too. When a team gives away that many possessions, it usually needs something concrete to offset them; for the Clippers, it was the combination of shot-making from Hachimura and Garland and enough foul-line production to survive the sloppier stretches.

Golden State can point to plenty that normally supports a win. The Warriors finished with 62 points in the paint, 13 offensive rebounds, 15 steals and 23 assists. Bassey scored 12 with eight rebounds, Ike added 11 and went 5 for 5 at the line, Brandon Williams scored 11, and the bench gave them enough energy to erase a 13-point deficit and briefly reclaim the game in the fourth.

The number that kept following Golden State, though, was 6 for 33 from three-point range. In a three-point game, that matters as much as any late shot. The Warriors generated volume with 95 field-goal attempts to the Clippers’ 80, but they could not convert efficiently enough from outside or at the line, where they finished 21 for 31. The Clippers’ cleaner path forward is obvious from this box score: protect the ball better. The Warriors’ is just as clear: keep the interior pressure and extra-possession work, then pair it with more reliable finishing from distance.

Scoring moments

1. 1st Quarter · 11:32

   Yaxel Lendeborg makes 22-foot three point jumper (Stephen Curry assists)

2. 1st Quarter · 11:15

   Rui Hachimura makes 19-foot jumper (Darius Garland assists)

3. 1st Quarter · 10:56

   Rui Hachimura makes free throw 1 of 2

4. 1st Quarter · 10:39

   Al Horford makes 23-foot three point jumper (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

5. 1st Quarter · 10:07

   Isaiah Jackson makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Darius Garland assists)

6. 1st Quarter · 9:29

   Isaiah Jackson makes layup (Darius Garland assists)

7. 1st Quarter · 9:13

   Stephen Curry makes 26-foot three point jumper (Al Horford assists)

8. 1st Quarter · 8:46

   Darius Garland makes free throw 2 of 2

9. 1st Quarter · 8:31

   Draymond Green makes free throw 1 of 2

10. 1st Quarter · 8:31

    Draymond Green makes free throw 2 of 2

11. 1st Quarter · 7:51

    Gui Santos makes 1-foot layup (Draymond Green assists)

12. 1st Quarter · 7:31

    Rui Hachimura makes 24-foot three point jumper (Isaiah Jackson assists)

13. 1st Quarter · 6:54

    Darius Garland makes 24-foot three pointer

14. 1st Quarter · 6:18

    Derrick Jones Jr. makes 9-foot pullup jump shot (Keaton Wagler assists)

15. 1st Quarter · 6:08

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 1 of 2

16. 1st Quarter · 6:08

    Stephen Curry makes free throw 2 of 2

17. 1st Quarter · 5:57

    Rui Hachimura makes 26-foot three point jumper (Darius Garland assists)

18. 1st Quarter · 5:15

    Rui Hachimura makes running dunk (Darius Garland assists)

19. 1st Quarter · 4:31

    Charles Bassey makes tip shot

20. 1st Quarter · 3:56

    Gui Santos makes 27-foot three point jumper (Brandin Podziemski assists)

21. 1st Quarter · 2:42

    Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 2

22. 1st Quarter · 2:23

    Brandin Podziemski makes driving layup

23. 1st Quarter · 2:15

    Brook Lopez makes free throw 2 of 2

24. 1st Quarter · 1:21

    Brandon Williams makes two point shot

25. 2nd Quarter · 11:03

    Kris Dunn makes 25-foot running jump shot (Keaton Wagler assists)

26. 2nd Quarter · 10:02

    Rui Hachimura makes 23-foot three point jumper (Gradey Dick assists)

27. 2nd Quarter · 9:48

    Graham Ike makes free throw 1 of 2

28. 2nd Quarter · 9:48

    Graham Ike makes free throw 2 of 2

29. 2nd Quarter · 9:38

    Rui Hachimura makes 25-foot three point jumper (Darius Garland assists)

30. 2nd Quarter · 9:10

    Will Richard makes driving layup (Draymond Green assists)

31. 2nd Quarter · 8:58

    Gradey Dick makes tip shot

32. 2nd Quarter · 8:14

    Darius Garland makes 28-foot three pointer

33. 2nd Quarter · 7:28

    Stephen Curry makes 5-foot two point shot

34. 2nd Quarter · 6:47

    Brandin Podziemski makes 23-foot three point jumper (Stephen Curry assists)

35. 2nd Quarter · 6:25

    Stephen Curry makes 28-foot running pullup jump shot (Brandin Podziemski assists)

36. 2nd Quarter · 6:11

    Darius Garland makes 27-foot three pointer

37. 2nd Quarter · 5:48

    Darius Garland makes free throw 1 of 3

38. 2nd Quarter · 5:48

    Darius Garland makes free throw 2 of 3

39. 2nd Quarter · 5:48

    Darius Garland makes free throw 3 of 3

40. 2nd Quarter · 5:27

    Rui Hachimura makes 11-foot turnaround jump shot

41. 2nd Quarter · 4:38

    Rui Hachimura makes 12-foot step back jumpshot (Isaiah Jackson assists)

42. 2nd Quarter · 4:22

    De'Anthony Melton makes 1-foot two point shot

43. 2nd Quarter · 3:49

    Derrick Jones Jr. makes 27-foot three point jumper (Isaiah Jackson assists)

44. 2nd Quarter · 3:30

    Georges Niang makes 1-foot layup (De'Anthony Melton assists)

45. 2nd Quarter · 3:10

    Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 1 of 2

46. 2nd Quarter · 3:10

    Brandin Podziemski makes free throw 2 of 2

47. 2nd Quarter · 2:55

    Darius Garland makes 7-foot two point shot

48. 2nd Quarter · 2:33

    Derrick Jones Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2

49. 2nd Quarter · 2:26

    LJ Cryer makes free throw 2 of 2

50. 2nd Quarter · 2:10

    Keaton Wagler makes free throw 1 of 2

51. 2nd Quarter · 2:10

    Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 2

52. 3rd Quarter · 11:28

    Gui Santos makes free throw 1 of 2

53. 3rd Quarter · 11:28

    Gui Santos makes free throw 2 of 2

54. 3rd Quarter · 11:06

    Nick Martinelli makes layup (Cam Christie assists)

55. 3rd Quarter · 10:45

    Charles Bassey makes two point shot

56. 3rd Quarter · 10:14

    Keaton Wagler makes 24-foot running jump shot (Blake Wesley assists)

57. 3rd Quarter · 9:15

    Yaxel Lendeborg makes free throw 2 of 2

58. 3rd Quarter · 8:47

    Charles Bassey makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

59. 3rd Quarter · 8:24

    Nick Martinelli makes 22-foot three point jumper (Cam Christie assists)

60. 3rd Quarter · 8:12

    Charles Bassey makes 1-foot layup (Yaxel Lendeborg assists)

61. 3rd Quarter · 7:45

    Brandon Williams makes 3-foot two point shot (De'Anthony Melton assists)

62. 3rd Quarter · 7:33

    Baba Miller makes free throw 1 of 2

63. 3rd Quarter · 6:58

    Cam Christie makes free throw 1 of 2

64. 3rd Quarter · 6:58

    Cam Christie makes free throw 2 of 2

65. 3rd Quarter · 6:48

    Brandon Williams makes driving layup (Graham Ike assists)

66. 3rd Quarter · 6:48

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 1

67. 3rd Quarter · 6:04

    Georges Niang makes two point shot (Brandon Williams assists)

68. 3rd Quarter · 5:49

    Blake Wesley makes driving layup

69. 3rd Quarter · 5:29

    Graham Ike makes alley oop dunk (Brandon Williams assists)

70. 3rd Quarter · 4:11

    Jalen Pickett makes running layup (Cam Christie assists)

71. 3rd Quarter · 3:56

    Graham Ike makes free throw 1 of 2

72. 3rd Quarter · 3:56

    Graham Ike makes free throw 2 of 2

73. 3rd Quarter · 3:26

    Gary Payton II makes 1-foot alley oop dunk (Brandon Williams assists)

74. 3rd Quarter · 3:10

    Gary Payton II makes driving layup

75. 3rd Quarter · 2:35

    Charles Bassey makes two point shot

76. 3rd Quarter · 2:23

    Yuki Kawamura makes free throw 2 of 2

77. 3rd Quarter · 2:06

    Gary Payton II makes 2-foot layup (Charles Bassey assists)

78. 3rd Quarter · 1:58

    Gradey Dick makes free throw 1 of 2

79. 3rd Quarter · 1:58

    Gradey Dick makes free throw 2 of 2

80. 3rd Quarter · 1:14

    Baba Miller makes free throw 1 of 2

81. 3rd Quarter · 1:14

    Baba Miller makes free throw 2 of 2

82. 3rd Quarter · 32.5

    Gui Santos makes driving layup

83. 3rd Quarter · 12.5

    Jalen Pickett makes 16-foot step back jumpshot

84. 4th Quarter · 11:32

    Graham Ike makes 4-foot layup (Malevy Leons assists)

85. 4th Quarter · 11:32

    Graham Ike makes free throw 1 of 1

86. 4th Quarter · 11:03

    Malevy Leons makes 4-foot driving floating jump shot (Gary Payton II assists)

87. 4th Quarter · 10:23

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 1 of 2

88. 4th Quarter · 10:23

    Brandon Williams makes free throw 2 of 2

89. 4th Quarter · 9:56

    Malevy Leons makes free throw 1 of 2

90. 4th Quarter · 9:56

    Malevy Leons makes free throw 2 of 2

91. 4th Quarter · 9:24

    Keaton Wagler makes 20-foot pullup jump shot (Nick Martinelli assists)

92. 4th Quarter · 8:43

    Brandon Williams makes 9-foot running pullup jump shot

93. 4th Quarter · 8:23

    Blake Wesley makes free throw 1 of 2

94. 4th Quarter · 7:49

    Cam Christie makes two point shot

95. 4th Quarter · 7:35

    Dalen Terry makes 5-foot two point shot

96. 4th Quarter · 7:20

    Dalen Terry makes running layup (Alex Toohey assists)

97. 4th Quarter · 6:39

    Keaton Wagler makes free throw 1 of 2

98. 4th Quarter · 6:39

    Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 2

99. 4th Quarter · 6:01

    Keaton Wagler makes free throw 1 of 3

100. 4th Quarter · 6:01

     Keaton Wagler makes free throw 2 of 3

101. 4th Quarter · 6:01

     Keaton Wagler makes free throw 3 of 3

102. 4th Quarter · 5:37

     Cam Christie makes two point shot

103. 4th Quarter · 5:20

     Charles Bassey makes two point shot

104. 4th Quarter · 4:55

     Blake Wesley makes 1-foot running dunk (Keaton Wagler assists)

105. 4th Quarter · 4:18

     Malevy Leons makes 2-foot layup (Dalen Terry assists)

106. 4th Quarter · 3:57

     Baba Miller makes free throw 1 of 2

107. 4th Quarter · 3:57

     Baba Miller makes free throw 2 of 2

108. 4th Quarter · 3:17

     Alex Toohey makes driving layup (Miles Kelly assists)

109. 4th Quarter · 2:50

     Baba Miller makes driving layup

110. 4th Quarter · 2:39

     Dalen Terry makes free throw 1 of 2

111. 4th Quarter · 2:04

     Baba Miller makes 4-foot pullup jump shot

112. 4th Quarter · 1:19

     Malevy Leons makes 3-foot layup (Dalen Terry assists)

113. 4th Quarter · 59.9

     Miles Kelly makes running layup

114. 4th Quarter · 45.7

     Blake Wesley makes 6-foot pullup jump shot

115. 4th Quarter · 45.7

     Blake Wesley makes free throw 1 of 1

116. 4th Quarter · 27.5

     Graham Ike makes tip shot

117. 4th Quarter · 14.0

     Keaton Wagler makes 19-foot step back jumpshot

118. 4th Quarter · 2.5

     Cam Christie makes free throw 1 of 2

119. 4th Quarter · 2.5

     Cam Christie makes free throw 2 of 2