Clippers comeback from 26 down to get first Intuit Dome win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Intuit Dome was waiting for its first Clipper win, and on Monday, the Clippers delivered in a way that they have been notorious for. 

After being down 40-14 after the first quarter, the second unit of Kevin Porter Jr., Kris Dunn, Amir Coffey, Nico Batum and Ivica Zubac led a 16-2 run to cut the deficit to 12 in the second quarter. 

The Spurs shot over 60% from the field in that first quarter, led by Chris Paul and Julian Champagnie, and it looked like the Clippers were dead in the water. 

But, this team found something that has been the embodiment of being a Clipper for years: moxie. 

A James Harden three late in the second quarter cut the Spurs lead to single digits at 8 going into the half, in a remarkable turnaround. 

Then, the second half became a role player bonanza. Amir Coffey went ballistic in the third quarter and Norm Powell was right behind him. 

Coffey came off the bench and scored a crucial 21 points to go along with great defense, jolting the second unit without Norm Powell. It was definitely the Amir Coffey Game. 

Speaking of Powell, he was once again excellent on the offensive end, notching 23 points in 34 minutes, keeping the Clippers afloat while James Harden was on the bench. 

Head Coach Ty Lue mentioned pregame that he wanted to try to stagger both Powell and Harden to give each other supplemental rest and production, and it seems that both got that message. 

While Harden didn’t have the exceptional offensive stat lines we are accustomed to seeing from him, his active hands on defense and timely shots down the stretch were imperative to getting the Clippers their first win. 

The night cannot be ended without mentioning Ivica Zubac, who went up against the best defensive player in the world, Victor Wembanyama. 

While Wembanya had an insane 9 blocks to go along with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Zubac held his own. He finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds, including a poster dunk and a late dunk plus a foul against Wembanyama to give the Clippers some cushion. 

This win was an embodiment of what the Clippers want to be this year: tough, gritty, never out of a game. Kris Dunn diving across the floor for loose balls, a team effort to rebound, methodical offense when they needed it. 

Those are the types of plays that Clipper fans were excited to see before the season, and although the record stands at 3-4, the Clippers have led by double digits in every single game. 

Now, they finally have their first win at their new home…

The Clippers now welcome Paul George back to Intuit Dome for the first time since his departure. The highly anticipated matchup is Wednesday at 7 PM PST in Inglewood.