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Social media is officially diagnosing the Clippers with a mass case of ‘Post Traumatic Steph Disorder.’ Stephen Curry’s odds-defying masterclass is sending shockwaves beyond the LA Clippers’ current roster. The Golden State Warriors entered the Play-In Tournament already written off, with many expecting the deeper, healthier Clippers squad to cruise through. On the other side was a more robust Clippers team led by Kawhi Leonard. Yet it was Steph who phoned into the NBA on Prime studio, giving one Clippers legend heart-stopping flashbacks.

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Blake Griffin watched from the comfort of the Prime studio as his former team was knocked out of the Play-In. From a casual 29-foot stepback three to not falling for the Clippers fans’ Klay Thompson antics, Steph Curry put on an offensive clinic, scoring 35 points, going 12-of-23 from the field and 7-of-12 from the arc.

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“Its a lot more fun you know just watching it. I do not want to be watching in person. I still got PTSD,” Griffin joked and got his fellow ’09 draftee chuckling.

Miami Heat legend, Udonis Haslem and Dallas Mavericks icon, Dirk Nowitzki agreed. Steph knows he’s a pain to certain people, especially the Clippers. The Intuit Dome was supposed to be the site of a new era for the Los Angeles Clippers, but on Wednesday night, it felt like a haunting rerun of a decade-long nightmare that Griffin has experienced plenty.

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Curry was the bane of Clippers nation all night, breaking through double-teams while Kawhi Leonard struggled with turnovers and went quiet late. That included a vintage Warriors sequence in the final 50 seconds where he found Draymond Green on a backdoor cut, leading to another handoff between the two that Clippers center Brook Lopez couldn’t stop.

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The PTSD Griffin referenced stems from the countless battles during the Lob City era, where the Warriors served as the primary roadblock to the Clippers’ championship dreams. While Griffin was able to joke about it from the safety of the studio, the current Clippers roster sat in stunned silence, echoing the frustration once felt by their former franchise cornerstone.

The Clippers’ worst nightmare: Stephen Curry

In 2009, the LA Clippers used their draft lottery to select Blake Griffin first overall. Eight places later, the Warriors selected Stephen Curry. What followed was the Clippers’ Lob City era led by Griffin, Chris Paul, and Jamal Crawford. But as amazing as the Lob City circus shots were, they couldn’t overcome the Baby-Faced Assassin in the Bay.

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Although fans were frustrated by NBA on Prime’s persistent audio issues, the Warriors’ display of their old playoff chops—so dominant throughout the 2010s—was overwhelming.

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Entering the Play-In Tournament, the Clippers were prematurely declared the winners. The Warriors were shorthanded, and Stephen Curry had missed 27 games. He, along with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, was on a minutes restriction.

But the veteran core maximized every second in those limited minutes. While Leonard struggled in the last quarter, the Warriors responded like it was Lob City in front of them. Curry poured in 27 of his points in the second half alone, including 11 in the final quarter that flipped the Clippers’ 89-83 lead into a decisive collapse.

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Although Draymond Green had seven points, he was on his defensive best with 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals. He held Kawhi to two points in the final frame and forced turnovers. After the loss, Kawhi explicitly blamed Green, the “Hall of Fame defender,” for stopping him.

39-year-old Al Horford showed he’s far from finished, sinking four consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. We got to see what Kristaps Porzingis looks like with Curry in a 20-point, 5-rebound, and 5-assist big man show.

The context of the loss is made even more bitter by the presence of Griffin’s former Lob City teammate, Chris Paul. While Griffin chose humor on the broadcast, Paul — who was forced into retirement by the Clippers just months ago — took a far more pointed approach on social media with a meme.

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Tonight wasn’t just the end of the season for the Clippers. It was another harrowing reminder that no matter what the regular season score is, the playoff Warriors are a different kind of monster.

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Caroline John

3,377 Articles

Caroline John is a senior NBA writer at EssentiallySports, specializing in league comparables. She holds a master’s degree in Journalism and Communication and brings eight years of experience to the sports desk. Caroline made a mark in NBA media by covering the life of Know more

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Tanay Sahai

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