The L.A. Clippers made another iconic UNDERDOG statement and beat the Brooklyn Nets without: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Nic Batum, Marcus Morris, Luke Kennard, Ivica Zubac, Isaiah Hartenstein, Brandon Boston Jr, Jason Preston, Jay Scrubb! 🔥

Andrew Greif [Brooklyn, NY] — During the 1st half in Brooklyn, a Coach who wasn't supposed to be the @LAClippers’ acting leader, turned to a lineup no one expected to see.
Three of the five Clippers on the floor at that moment inside Barclays Center — guard @XMoon02 Xavier Moon, wing James Ennis III and forward @WenyenGabriel — hadn't been on the roster as recently as X-mas. 🎄In fact, by virtue of previous 10-day contracts with Brooklyn, Ennis & Wenyen had spent more time with the Nets (than with the Clippers).

But what was #BrianShaw, the acting coach, to do? A roster ravaged by the NBA’s health protocols and injuries was missing 10 players, multiple coaches, and relying on an EXHAUSTED core that had played heavy minutes only 24 hours earlier in Toronto before reaching their Manhattan hotel just before 2 AM! 🌃

That's the state of the #LAClippers, where in recent days the most anticipated results feel less related to wins and losses than PCR tests. They are patched together. But not pushed over! 💪🏽“The big thing was our guys didn’t hang their heads and just give in,” Shaw said. “We felt bad about last night because we were in control of that game for a good part of it. We didn’t make the plays down the stretch that it took to win last night’s game. But tonight was the absolute opposite of that.”

Eric Bledsoe, whose 27 points led the Clippers, said: “We fought.”

Mann and Jackson each added 19, even though the latter appeared so exhausted that he bent over and grabbed his shorts with his hands — with more than a quarter still to go. He played more than 30 minutes on a second consecutive night after being cleared from an eight-day stay in health and safety protocols. Coffey, too, appeared to favor a leg late in the final quarter, but he stayed in and scored 14 pts, continuing a run that has seen his value rise as attrition has taken its toll. - by @AndrewGreif

Re-live the epic comeback win below:

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Read the full article here: https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2022-01-01/clippers-get-big-road-win-with-late-rally-beat-nets