Chris Paul took a clear shot at the Clippers after Los Angeles fell 126-121 to the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament on Wednesday night. The veteran guard reacted on his Instagram story with a viral meme about attending a rival’s funeral to make sure they were dead, a post that strongly suggested the Clippers were the target.
The message spread quickly because of Paul’s recent and messy split with LA. He started the season with the Clippers after signing with the team for his 21st NBA season, a move that followed his stated wish to play near family.
Paul’s brief Clippers return ended abruptly
The reunion did not last long. The Clippers announced in the early hours of Dec. 3 that Paul was no longer with the team, and ESPN’s Shams Charania later reported that Paul and head coach Ty Lue were not on speaking terms.
Paul later said on Dec. 9 that he was “at peace with everything,” and he did not play for another team during the season. LA eventually traded the 12-time NBA All-Star to the Toronto Raptors at the trade deadline, and days later Paul announced his retirement.
A familiar meme with a pointed message
Paul was not the first NBA figure to use that meme. Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid posted the same image in February 2022 after the team traded Ben Simmons, showing how the graphic has become a sharp way to mock a former situation.
In Paul’s case, the timing made the post feel even more pointed. The Clippers had just blown a 13-point lead in the final quarter, then watched Golden State take control with 50.4 seconds left and end LA’s season.
How the game slipped away
Los Angeles entered the late stage with an advantage, but the Warriors closed hard and finished the comeback. That collapse turned a playoff path into an exit, and it gave former Clippers voices, including Paul, a reason to react.
The loss also carried extra weight because of Paul’s history with the franchise. Lawrence Frank had once called him “one of the most impactful players ever to wear a Clippers uniform,” but the relationship quickly shifted into a public split that now ends with Paul appearing to enjoy LA’s defeat from afar.
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