Los Angeles Clippers’ Reggie Jackson Sends Tearful Message to Team After Playoff Loss

The Los Angeles Clippers’ season came to an end on Thursday night, and Reggie Jackson is thankful. After the Clippers’ loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Jackson got very emotional when talking to reporters. He signed with the team last year after dealing with injuries in his final seasons with the Detroit Pistons. And after an uneven 2020 post-season, Jackson was able to play the best basketball of his career during the playoffs.

“It was the most challenging year,” Jackson revealed while getting tearful. “The most fun year. Not sure when you’re gonna play. Ups and downs. Guys getting injured. Still finding my way in this locker room. First thing I told those guys was ‘thank you for saving me.’ I appreciate it. I appreciate every guy in that locker room. I appreciate Paul [George] for getting on that phone last year and the end of the season as time went by in Detroit. I’m thankful for everything I’ve experienced here.

“This city makes me feel at home. This organization welcoming me. My quirks, my strengths, my weaknesses. I’m not here today without this team. I’m not still playing without this team. I thank them for everything. In my heart this will forever be a special year. Like I said, it sucks that we didn’t win it, but I ride with those guys. Those guys rode with me all year and I ride with those guys. That’s what makes this one tougher. That makes this one extremely tough.”

Jackson averaged over 21 points per contest after Kawhi Leonard suffered an injury against the Utah Jazz. He also came up with big shots in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals to force a Game 6. Jackson, 31 has been in the NBA since 2011, being drafted by Oklahoma City Thunder No. 24 overall. He finishes this postseason averaging 17.8 points per game, which ties him for a career-best.

“I think that group revitalized me,” Jackson said. “They found ways to push me every day, to challenge me, ask me to be better, encourage me to be better. We became family. This has been an extremely special year under these extremely difficult circumstances that everybody’s been under with the pandemic, COVID. Last year at the half, the way this team took me in, the way this core group welcomed me, the way that they’ve allowed me to be myself, like I said, I’m forever thankful for this group.”