Los Angeles Clippers guard Reggie Jackson had been filling in for injured starting point guard Patrick Beverley over the last month, and his contributions have not gone unnoticed.
In an impressive comeback April 14 win over his former team, the Detroit Pistons, Jackson scored 29 points while also nailing the game-clinching jumper in the final seconds. He also spurred an 11-2 run in a come-from-behind victory over the Houston Rockets on April 23. Jackson scored nine points in 90 seconds, nearly single-handedly taking over the game himself.
The 31-year-old veteran point guard has been a key role player for the Clips this year, often showing up in the biggest of moments, and some are now calling him the most clutch player on a team with names like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
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‘Reggie Jackson is the Most Clutch Player’ on Clippers
Sports Illustrated’s Farbod Esnaashari has been Tweeting about Jackson’s clutch play for months now, but he decided to make a bold, all-caps statement about it after the Clips’ win over the Toronto Raptors this week. Jackson hit another clutch three in the final minutes, while scoring 18 points, hauling in five rebounds and dishing out five assists in the victory.
‘Reggie Jackson is the most clutch player on the Clippers. Convince me otherwise,” Esnaashari Tweeted after Jackson hit the dagger of a three in the game’s closing minutes.
In fact, Jackson has been such a great contributor and impact player of late, he may see his role increase in the postseason.
Ty Lue May Start Jackson Over Beverley in Playoffs
With the NBA postseason approaching in mere days, L.A. will have some difficult decisions to make about its lineup. Beverley is returning slowly but surely from his fractured hand, working his way back in limited minutes, while Jackson has had the hot hand of late.
Per Esnaashari, Clippers coach Ty Lue “says he’s going to go on matchups and feel for the game when it comes to Patrick Beverley and Reggie Jackson starting the game. That’s how he’s going to coach in the playoffs.”
Considering the fact Jackson thought about not returning after last season’s early playoff exit, he has become quite a leader for the Clips down the stretch this year. “It wasn’t even necessarily a thought that I would be guaranteed to even be playing this year,” the veteran point guard said about the possibility of not playing. “That was never guaranteed, to be honest.”
As for his clutch play this season, Jackson says he’s always ready to step up whenever his team needs him.
“I take a lot of pride in it. I’ve put in a lot of hard work over my career,” Jackson said in late April after the comeback win over the Rockets. “I just like to make sure I stay ready and just have confidence in those moments to take the shot.”
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Analyst Has Eye-Opening Comment About Clippers Star