SAN FRANCISCO _ It should not have been a surprise to see the Los Angeles Clippers' reserves be a force during Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors.
The Clippers had the foremost bench in the NBA this season and they showed why Saturday night.
They scored 65 points in a 121-104 loss in Oakland, the ninth most in a postseason game since 1985, and outscored the Warriors' bench by 43.
The Clippers' reserves averaged 53.2 points per game this season, the most in the NBA since the 1985-86 season.
"This bench has been amazing for us, and they did an amazing job yesterday, too," starting forward Danilo Gallinari said. "So, we know that we can count on them."
It is more than just Montrezl Harrell, who had 26 points, and Lou Williams, who had 25 _ the first teammates to each score 25-plus points off the bench in a postseason game since bench statistics were first recorded in the 1970-71 season.
The solid play of JaMychal Green, Garrett Temple and Wilson Chandler also has lifted the Clippers' bench.
"You got two sixth man of the year candidates that probably will end up one and two in the voting," coach Doc Rivers said. "That's a pretty solid bench. And I think the guys around them, I think adding JaMychal and Garrett and all those guys, and Wilson ... we had a great bench before the trade and they're even better now. So, that tells you how good our bench is. We're not going to change. Our bench is going to be good this series."
