INGLEWOOD, Calif. — With 10 minutes left in regulation of the LA Clippers’ first regular-season sport on the Intuit Dome on Wednesday, Kevin Durant discovered himself on the free throw line going through one thing he hasn’t skilled in his 17 seasons as a professional.
The Phoenix Suns star went up in opposition to The Wall. And The Wall gained, because the 88.4% profession free throw shooter missed two, sending the sellout crowd at Intuit Dome right into a frenzy.
Durant scored 12 of his 25 factors within the fourth quarter however might have had two extra if not for the distraction of The Wall, a steep part of followers behind the basket closest to the guests bench.
Durant, although, responded later, drilling a 15-foot fadeaway late in regulation to pressure additional time earlier than the Suns spoiled the Clippers’ historic evening with a 116-113 win earlier than 18,300 followers.
“Yeah, it was loopy,” Durant mentioned of The Wall. “I used to be simply observing it the entire time. You are not used to that.”
It has 51 uninterrupted rows of seats, however the first 13 rows are crammed with Clippers diehard followers whose fandom is vetted by the franchise beforehand. The followers in these first 13 rows are anticipated to face and chant for the complete sport and create an environment related to a school scholar part.
This was Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer’s imaginative and prescient when he went over designs for the $2 billion area. He wished a home-court benefit in contrast to another within the NBA, and it almost helped the Clippers pull out their first win within the state-of-the-art constructing.
The Wall and the high-tech 4K Halo board — the most important double-sided halo show in an area setting, and virtually a full acre lengthy — are maybe the 2 greatest options that make Intuit Dome in contrast to another NBA area.
“It is the expertise, the texture of the bowl and the scoreboard,” Ballmer informed ESPN final week about what he loves about Intuit Dome. “I truly love our standing-room-only part [in The Wall]. It labored nice at preseason. Let’s examine what it really works within the sport, but it surely gave you a bit of bit of a faculty gymnasium really feel … that is going to really feel like a scholar part as a result of that is what college students do.”
Ballmer opened the night by standing in The Wall amongst followers and beginning what the Clippers hope will likely be a ritual with a dance and chant.
“Welcome dwelling, Clipper Nation!” Ballmer screamed on the prime of his lungs right into a microphone.
With star Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely as he continues to strengthen his proper knee, James Harden poured in 29 factors, 12 rebounds and eight assists but additionally had eight turnovers. He gave the Clippers a two-point lead with 41.5 seconds left with two free throws, however Durant tied the sport together with his massive shot over Harden and Amir Coffey with 21.2 seconds left in regulation.
Harden had an opportunity to win the sport, however his driving floater fell off the rim. In additional time, Harden had an opportunity to tie it, however he missed the second of two free throws with 4.8 seconds left. Jusuf Nurkic then sank two free throws.
With 1.6 seconds left, the Clippers couldn’t get the inbound to Harden as Grayson Allen stole the ball to seal the Suns’ first win of the season.
Afterward, Durant and Devin Booker spoke glowingly in regards to the Intuit Dome’s Wall.
“I missed a free throw,” mentioned Booker, who fouled out late within the fourth quarter. “I used to be pissed. I feel Okay missed two down there too. In order that s— may work.”
Requested if The Wall left an impression on him, Booker responded, “Hell yeah.”
“You spend $2 billion, put a wall up,” Booker mentioned.
When Durant missed these two free throws within the fourth quarter, it introduced Intuit Dome to life, as a result of every time an opponent misses two consecutive free throws, followers get free Chick-fil-A sandwiches.
“I feel I skilled that [once before],” Durant mentioned of The Wall. “Oklahoma State has considerably of an area like that, clearly not that massive. However to see one thing go straight up, and I all the time thought that was cool. The noise sounds a bit of totally different. It should be a tricky street setting for anybody who is available in right here.”
Harden mentioned he simply needs the Clippers have been in a position to give their followers one thing to actually keep in mind about opening evening.
“I am so upset that we did not get the win,” Harden mentioned. “That is like one of the irritating issues. Like simply historical past in Inglewood. The Intuit Dome. The followers confirmed up and we received the quick finish of the stick.
“However I feel they gave us an incredible, nice vitality tonight, and I feel the extra they proceed, that the higher our outcomes will likely be. So, we admire the followers. We received to do our half, they usually positively did theirs tonight.”
