As the scoreboard flashed the 126-121 finish in Intuit Dome, it was Chris Paul who had the last laugh. Mostly because he didn’t have the misfortune of getting scorched by Stephen Curry after the winter he’s had. Following a disappointing ouster and getting forced into retirement, clearly the architect of the Clippers’ most exciting era was not rooting for them. Instead, he seems to be happy for the team he spent a single season on.
Despite the Clippers’ shenanigans both on the court and at ‘The Wall,’ Stephen Curry’s 35-point masterclass, with double digits by his teammates, outmatched the Clippers’ starpower. Thus the odds-on favorite Clippers’ rollercoaster season came to an end just before the playoffs.
Chris Paul took to Instagram moments after the final buzzer on April 15, 2026. His post was not a message of condolence, but a cold statement at the Clippers’ misery. He shared a legendary meme on his Instagram Stories that the Internet would instantly recognize.
It’s that sharply dressed man at a funeral, usually used to show indifference or subtle vindication over a ‘demise.’ It’s a favorite in the NBA community. Mark Williams used it when the Lakers lost after calling him unfit and rescinding the trade with the Hornets.
Chris Paul on Instagram after the Clippers lose to Golden State pic.twitter.com/EpMgljlQrt
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 16, 2026
Essentially, the Point God is observing the downfall of the Clippers with silent, detached satisfaction. Considering the team pretty much made a blood sacrifice out of him hoping to turn their fortunes around, this has to be more personal for CP3.
By choosing this specific meme, Paul wasn’t wishing them luck; he was offering a front-row seat to the awkward silence that now defines the Clippers’ failure.
Stephen Curry vindicated Chris Paul
He’s now matching that energy. Paul has rarely spoken publicly since that day, making this post his first significant public reaction to his former team. The timing is a dagger to the heart of the Clippers.
The Clippers entered this do-or-die Play-In matchup against a severely depleted Warriors squad operating with caution around Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Draymond Green. With a healthy Kawhi, LA was favored to win.
The Clippers pulled out more stops on the sideline than in the game. They even tried to distract Steph with Klay Thompson masks at the free throw. That hardly shook him, hitting both shots and going 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. Curry went on to have a 11-point, zero turnover fourth quarter. With 50 seconds to go, he and Draymond delivered a sequence that flustered Clippers’ Brook Lopez. And he delivered a 29-foot stepback three that only he could’ve nailed.
CP3, who played the 2023-24 season alongside Curry, clearly reveled in it. Some fans even wondered if Paul could’ve filled the playmaking gaps Kawhi showed today. The what-ifs were all Chris Paul and his fans had after the forced retirement became a bitter pill. But now he can stand in his sunglasses and look down o the Clippers’ reality.
