'We Thought It Was Over': Clippers Plane Struck By Lightning

The Clippers suffered a terrifying ordeal when their plane was struck by lightning.

Here’s the latest from ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, who revealed the news today:

“As the LA Clippers’ charter plane took off from the Los Angeles International Airport runway on a cloudy afternoon on Feb. 25, several players were napping when the Denver-bound flight took a sudden veer toward the left seconds into the air just above the Pacific Ocean. The Clippers’ plane began to shake and rattle before a loud bang could be heard.

“Some staffers saw a flash on the right side of the aircraft as the engine went eerily silent for a moment before roaring back to life and filling the cabin with thunderous revving. The plane dropped in altitude several times and shrieks could be heard from passengers in what some staffers called one of the worst moments they’ve experienced on a flight.”

Bones Hyland later tweeted about how scary the whole thing was.

Ultimately, the plan landed safely in Colorado ahead of the team’s February 26 matchup with Denver. That game turned out to be the second of five consecutive defeats for the Clippers.

It was the clear low point amid a horrendous run of bad luck for LA. They kept finding new ways to lose night after night, and even got caught in hail one day while walking across the tarmac at LAX.

Fortunately, their luck has since started to turn, with consecutive wins over the Grizzlies, Raptors and Knicks.