Clippers rookie stuns Warriors with cold-blooded game-winner in preseason

Keaton Wagler showcased flashes of his potential in his preseason debut, leading the Los Angeles Clippers past the Golden State Warriors 104-101 on Sunday night.

Wagler is gearing up for the rookie campaign of his NBA career following a great collegiate career at Illinois. Los Angeles liked his talents, selecting him fifth overall in the 2026 draft.

In 30 minutes of action off the bench, Wagler had his moments. He finished with a stat line of 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. He shot 3-of-15 from the field, including 1-of-11 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line.

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While he had an off night shooting the ball, one of the three shots he made ended up being clutch. Los Angeles trailed 101-100 with than less 15 seconds to go as Wagler pulled off some fancy moves before making a stepback jumper to put his team up for good.

How Keaton Wagler, Clippers played against Warriors

Keaton Wagler will hope for a better shooting display in the next contests. Nonetheless, he helped the Clippers secure the win over the Warriors to start the preseason schedule.

Los Angeles controlled the game for stretches, even leading 55-43 at halftime. Golden State fought back with runs of their own before taking the lead, resulting in Wagler's clutch highlight in the last 20 seconds of the night.

Three players scored in double-digits for Los Angeles in the win, including Wagler. Rui Hachimura led the team with a stat line of 21 points, five rebounds and a block. He shot 8-of-11 overall, including 4-of-5 from downtown. Darius Garland came next with 15 points and six assists, while Baba Miller provided nine points and six rebounds.

The Clippers will look forward to their next preseason contest, facing the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Their regular season starts at home against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 21 at 10:30 p.m. ET.