The Los Angeles Clippers experienced possibly the most dramatic weekend during an incredible run of basketball. The team’s 134-124 overtime defeat to the Denver Nuggets occurred when Paul George scored a jumper from beyond half court too late to win the game in regulation.
George’s almost game-winning shot was reminiscent of the nearly full-court heave by Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid on Saturday night. He didn’t beat the buzzer to tie a game with the Boston Celtics after Jayson Tatum hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining.
When overtime in Colorado started, it was casually noted on the broadcast that the Clippers’ jet had been hit by lightning on the way there.
The Clippers boarded the aircraft a day after losing 176-175 in double overtime to the Sacramento Kings on Friday, when both teams combined for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history. According to Los Angeles Times writer Andrew Greif, the jet was rocked within a minute of departure.
Passengers reported hearing the engines briefly quiet before revving up again. When they arrived, there was no paint where the aircraft had been hit on the tail.
According to the National Weather Service, commercial jets are struck by lightning an average of one or two times each year and are intended to direct the currents along built-in routes. The occurrence usually necessitates an examination for damage, which may cause flight delays and cost a lot of money.
However, the Clippers went from one OT defeat to another, as Denver completed a four-game sweep of Los Angeles, dropping the team’s record to 33-30.
The Clippers attempted five shots in overtime and missed them all, collecting four points on free throws. Kawhi Leonard got 33 points, while Paul George, who is still on a minutes restriction, had 23. Russell Westbrook continued to gel with his new squad, finishing with 17 points, five rebounds, five steals, and four assists.
Los Angeles head coach Ty Lue seemed to be unfazed by the eventful weekend.
A cleaner game may have prevented Nikola Jokic’s late steal and lob to Bruce Brown for an alley oop slam, capping his 23rd triple-double of the season with a minute remaining in overtime. In the grand scheme of Sunday night’s events, Jokic’s 40-point outburst fades into the background.
With Portland Trailblazers star Damian Lillard’s 71-point performance and the Los Angeles Lakers’ comeback from a 27-point hole to defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the largest NBA comeback this season, it’s logical that a little lightning strike would get little notice.
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