Five takeaways from the Clippers’ 98-92 overtime victory over Philadelphia

Reporting from Philadelphia —  You can’t relax in the NBA. Not against the Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves or even the Philadelphia 76ers. That lesson continues to be pounded into the Clippers, who looked destined for another bad loss before somehow rallying from 19 points down to force overtime and beat the 76ers, 98-92, on Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Here are five takeaways from the game:

1. What was that? The Clippers, not the 76ers, more closely resembled a team that should have the worst record in the NBA for about 48 minutes. They couldn’t execute, failed to defend and didn’t seem to care much about it. Of course, the 76ers had something to do with it. “We really couldn’t get out of the way of ourselves for most of the game,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “But I keep going back to them. It’s funny, you look at their record and it’s the worst record but they’re not the worst team. It’s just amazing watching them and how hard they play. They make you play and if you don’t play right, they can beat you.”

2. J.J. Redick made a shot when it mattered. The Clippers shooting guard was in the midst of a poor shooting game when he came around a screen and made a three-pointer to tie the score with 10 seconds left in regulation. “Tonight was a weird night,” Redick said afterward. “First half, it felt like every shot I took was going in and just like back-rimmed all of them. I had a couple really bad misses earlier in the game and had just had a really bad miss where I kind of shot it in the crotch of the rim. But that one, I knew as soon as it left my hand it was good.” Redick finished with 23 points on seven-for-18 shooting, including three of eight from three-point range.

3. The Clippers keep tripping in style. They’re 3-0 on a trip that concludes Wednesday in Boston, but getting to 4-0 will be a challenge. The Celtics (31-22) have won nine of their last 10 games and are playing their best basketball under Brad Stevens in his third year as coach. Even Boston’s losses have been close — the Celtics have not been beaten by double digits since an 89-77 loss to Cleveland on Dec. 15. Meanwhile, the Clippers have gone 18-9 on the road, compiling more wins than any Western Conference team except the Golden State Warriors (23). “We’ve got to close it out,” Clippers point guard Chris Paul said of the trip. “Boston’s been playing amazing. Isaiah Thomas is a good friend of mine, All-Star, finally. So we’ve got to end it and go into the [All-Star] break feeling good.”

4. Maybe the 76ers aren’t as bad as that record. Beyond the talent of a front line featuring Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, the 76ers use a frenetic style led by point guard Ish Smith that can fluster older teams like the Clippers. Their energy level is always high and when they create turnovers and get in transition, the 76ers look like a playoff team. Of course, there’s also a reason they’re 8-44. They can rarely sustain any kind of offensive execution in the halfcourt and their defense is spotty. That’s why the Clippers were able to come back from 19 points down to force overtime and then overwhelm the 76ers in the opening minutes of the extra period. “They’re working on the next step being a good team,” Doc Rivers said. “We’re working on the next step to be a championship team and they’re both large steps for both of us and they’re working on it, we’re working on it. It’s part of the challenge.”

5. The Clippers have a better record than they did at this point last season. It may be hard to believe after the Clippers started the season with a 7-8 record, but they’re on pace to eclipse last season’s 56 victories. They’re 35-17 as opposed to 33-19 at this point last season. That means the Clippers have gone 28-9 since their horrid start. One of the biggest differences between this season and last has been the Clippers’ ability to finish games, illustrated by successful plays in the closing minutes of victories. “I think just watching how we have grown in execution alone,” Rivers said, “it’s a huge step from last year, so that gives us a shot.”

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