Category Archives: Clippers

Clippers Blow 18-Point Lead & Lose to Kings

March 26, 2017

The Clippers gave back an 18-point lead at Staples Center on Sunday, and lost to Sacramento 98-97.  The rally was capped by a put back from Willie Cauley-Stein.  Chris Paul missed a 21-foot jumper with 1.2 seconds left that sealed the fate of the Clips.

“It’s a bad loss. It’s probably the worst one in the regular season in my career, probably,” said Paul, who had 17 points and nine assists. “Yeah, that’s tough. That was a bad one. That’s a bad loss. Yeah.”

With Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan resting early in the 4th quarter, the Kings mounted a furious comeback.  A Buddy Heild 3-pointer pulled Sacramento to within 94-85 with 3:22 left.

Heild hit two more 3-pointers just nine seconds apart, and Sacramento was only down 96-93 with 2:10 left.  After Griffin made 1 of 2 free throws, the Kings continued their 3-point onslaught.  Langston Galloway’s 3-pointer made it 97-96 with 1:23 left.  That set the stage of Cauley-Stein’s last second heroics.

The Clippers have lost 10 of their last 19 games overall, and they fell behind the Jazz by 1 game in the race for 4th place in the Western Conference.

Jordan had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, and Griffin finished with 17 points.

“These games should mean so much more to us than to them. Nothing against them. But just being out of the playoff picture… We have something to play for,” Blake Griffin said about the loss to the Kings. “And tonight it looked like it was the opposite, the other way around in that last little bit… It’s over now. Can’t do much about it now except try to move on.”

The Clippers played without J.J. Redick, who injured his right ankle when he stepped on a basketball in the game against Utah on Saturday.

There’s only 9 games left in the regular season.  The Clippers will try to get back in the win column on Wednesday, when they host the Wizards at Staples Center.

Clippers Clinch Playoff Spot

March 25, 2017

The Clippers clinched a playoff spot on Saturday with a 108-95 win over the Jazz at Staples Center.  Jamal Crawford led the way with 28 points off the bench, Blake Griffin added 15, and Chris Paul scored 14.

The win moved the Clippers to within .5 games of the 4th place Jazz in the Western Conference.  Utah got 26 points and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert, while Joe Johnson had 17.  However, the Jazz have lost four of their last five games.

The Clips took control early, building a 15-point lead in the first quarter.  They shot 52% from the field, and finished the first twelve minutes with a 28-14 lead.

“Right from the beginning they jumped us, and we weren’t ready,” Gobert said. “That’s what happened the last few games and we came out the same way.”

The Jazz tried to make a run in the 2nd quarter, but the Clippers took a 49-41 lead into halftime.

The Clippers lost a 16-point lead in the third quarter and their tempers went with it.  Jamal Crawford and Chris Paul were whistled for technical fouls and suddenly, Utah had made a game of it.

“My emotions got the best of me for a second,” Crawford said. “I had to get it off my chest and settle down going into the fourth quarter.”

Crawford responded with 17 of his 28 points in the final period, and the Clips regained control.

Utah’s top scorers struggled.  Gordon Hayward had 13 points on 5-12 shooting, while Hill had 9 points on 4-11 shooting.  Hayward also asked to be taken out of the game in the 4th quarter with what appeared to be a knee bruise.  He was seen with an ice pack on his knee while sitting on the bench.

The Clippers will try to tie the Jazz in the standings on Sunday at Staples when they take on the Sacramento Kings.

Barnes Beats Clippers Late

March 23, 2017

Harrison Barnes made a jumper with 1:06 left, and the Mavericks beat the Clippers 97-95 on Thursday night in Dallas.

Barnes also picked up a steal off of Blake Griffin in the final seconds to help secure the win.  Wesley Matthews made a free throw with under a second left to play, and then J.J. Redick missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, which would have won the game for LA.

“We had a great shot on the last play,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “That was great execution, and it was a 3, would have been a game-winner. Make, miss, we will live with that.”

Griffin scored 21 points on the night, despite missing his last 3 shots.  DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 18 rebounds, Chris Paul scored 15, and Austin Rivers had 13.

The Clips went on a big 22-4 run at the end of the 1st half to take a 54-48 lead at halftime.  The Mavericks went on a 13-2 run to start the 3rd quarter, and took a 79-77 into the 4th quarter.

Seth Curry led the Mavs with 23 points and Harrison Barnes added 21.  The Clippers had their 3- game win streak snapped.

The Clips fell 1.5 games behind the Jazz for 4th place in the Western Conference.  The Jazz will come to Staples Center on Saturday to take on the Clippers.  It will be the first of a 3-game home stand.

 

 

Clippers Maul The Lakers

March 21st, 2017

The Lakers were the designated home team in their showdown with the Clippers on Tuesday, but it wasn’t much of a contest, with the Clips winning 133-109.

Chris Paul led the way for the Clippers with 27 points and 8 assists, J.J. Redick had 24, and Austin Rivers scored 18 off the bench in a game that was virtually decided by halftime.  The Clips were up 70-40 at the half.

Although the Lakers didn’t play much defense, they did get some productive performances from their young players.  Brandon Ingram scored 21 points and D’Angelo Russell had 18.  Ivica Zubac had 17 and 7 rebounds, while Julius Randle added 19.

The Clippers shot 53% from the field and outscored the Lakers in the paint 60-36.  They got whatever shot they wanted, and the Lakers couldn’t do anything about it.  The Clippers also hit 3-pointers.

One of those 3-pointers was a 46-foot bomb from Jamal Crawford to end the 3rd quarter.  That gave the Clippers a 108-74 lead heading into the 4th.  Crawford finished the game with 15 points, and passed Calvin Murphy for #69 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list

Laker coach Luke Walton wasn’t please about his team’s effort at times, and benched his starters to open the 2nd half.  “Playing without a certain amount of effort isn’t going to be acceptable or tolerated,” he said.  “A lot of guys it’s more about the individual success rather than the team success.”

For the 2nd straight game, the Clippers starters sat out the entire 4th quarter.  The game was so out of hand that Chris Paul was watching the 4th quarter with his son on the bench.

“Until the team more than individual, it’s going to be really hard to win,” Walton explained.  “I would say we played harder in the second half but not as hard as we should play.  To come out in front of our home fans and give that kind of effort wasn’t ok.”

The Clippers have now defeated the Lakers in 17 of their last 19 meetings. The win moved them a little bit closer to Utah, who is now just .5 games ahead of them for 4th place in the West.

The Lakers on the other hand picked up their 51st loss of the year.  With Phoenix’s loss to Miami, the Lakers remain two games worse than the Suns for the 2nd worst record in the league, and the race for better lottery odds.

Clippers Strike Early Against New York & Hold On

March 20, 2017

The Clippers made it two in a row on Monday night at Staples Center with a 114-105 victory against the Knicks.

Blake Griffin scored 30 points, while DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Redick had 14 each.  The Clippers had 6 players in double figures, including Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford, who combined for 31 points off the bench.  Chris Paul had 13 points and 13 assists.

For the Knicks, Kristaps Porzingis led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds.  Derek Rose scored 18, and Carmelo Anthony with 16.

The Clips built a lead as large as 25 points after outscoring New York 34-19 in the 3rd quarter.   However, the Knicks used their bench to cut the deficit to 7 by the last few minutes.

The Clippers’ starters sat out the entire 4th quarter.  Despite the strong showing from Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford, LA’s bench was outscored 43-39.

There’s 11 games left in the regular season and the Clippers are now within one game of the 4th place Utah Jazz in the Western Conference.

Up next, the Clippers will have a designated road game on Tuesday night against the Lakers.  The teams have split their two games so far this season.

 

 

Clippers Beat Shorthanded Cavs

March 18, 2017

The Clippers will take wins any way they can get them right now, and they got one Saturday night against a shorthanded Cavaliers team, 108-70.

The Cavaliers played without Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love, who all sat out to rest.  The NBA certainly will not be happy about that given that the game was on national television.

Blake Griffin scored 23 points, and JJ Redick added 16, which helped LA snap a 3-game losing skid. It was Griffin, along with DeAndre Jordan, who sat on Thursday night’s road game against Denver, which the Clippers lost.

The large margin of victory also allowed the Clippers to rest Chris Paul, Griffin, and Jordan for the entire 4th quarter.

The Cavaliers were led by Richard Jefferson’s 12 points.  However, they shot just 38% from the field, while the Clippers shot 51%.  LA also hammered Cleveland on the boards, outrebounding them 54-40.

The win allowed the Clippers to maintain their hold on 5th place in the Western Conference.  Not only are the Clippers trying to move up, but they are trying to hold off the Thunder and the Grizzlies, who are right behind them in the standings.

The Clippers will be back in action on Monday night at Staples Center against the Knicks.

Clippers In Disarray After Loss To Nuggets

March 17th, 2017

The Clippers troubles continued on Thursday night in Denver with a 129-114 loss to the Nuggets.  It was the 3rd straight loss for LA, and their 8th in the last 13 games.

The Clips played without both Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, who were resting back in LA.  However, Nuggets power forward Nikola Jokic took advantage of their absence by dominating in the paint.  Jokic scored 17 points, pulled down 14 rebounds, and dished out 11 assists for his 5th triple- double of the season.  Will Barton also scored a career-high 35 points for Denver.

Chris Paul had 18 points and 14 assists, J.J. Redick scored a team-high 22 points and Austin Rivers had 17 for the Clippers.  Defense was the issue again though.  Denver shot both 53% from 3-point land, and 53% from the field.

“That’s on us,” Chris Paul said. “We’ve got to give more effort, be better all around.”  Paul also questioned what the Clippers identity was at this point in the season.  “Yeah, you would hope to not be trying to figure that out at this point of the season,” he said.

The Nuggets didn’t give the Clippers much of a chance to make a run.  Denver built a 103-80 lead heading into the fourth.  The advantage grew to as much as 25 and the Clippers never threatened. Barton’s seventh 3-pointer, which tied a career high, capped a 20-point half for the guard.

J.J. Redick doesn’t like where things are going either.  “I don’t know what to expect from this team anymore,” he said.  “It’s just — we’re in a bad place right now. We’re losing games. We’ve been [a mess] since the All-Star break.”

To make matters worse, the Clippers are losing ground in the Western Conference playoff race.  They are now 3 games back of the Jazz for 4th place in the conference.  They also have Oklahoma City and Memphis right behind them in the standings, so they could find themselves in 7th place in no time.

Things won’t get much easier for them.  They’ll return home on Saturday to take on the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

 

Griffin & Clips Fall Short At The Buzzer

March 16th, 2017

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton had 16 points apiece, and the Bucks hung on for a 97-96 victory against the Clippers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.

DeAndre Jordan had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Blake Griffin added 18, but missed a shot at buzzer that would have won the game.  Griffin drove the lane and put up a shot that just rolled off the rim.

The Bucks led by seven with less than three minutes to play, but Jordan scored to bring the Clippers within a point.  Then with 5.1 seconds left, LA called timeout and ran a play for Griffin moments later.

“It was a decent look,” Griffin said. “Wish we had two more seconds to let it develop.”

It was an off-night for Chris Paul, who shot just 2-10 from the field, while scoring six points and turning it over six times.

Milwaukee scored 30 points in the fourth quarter, giving the Clippers their second consecutive loss.

The Clippers are just 5-6 in their last 11 games, but head Coach Doc Rivers isn’t too worried.  “It’s just a point in the season.  Cleveland’s lost four of five, but if won then it’s a different (reaction).  Maybe because they won a world championship.  I have a lot of confidence in where we’re headed,” he said.

The Clippers will travel to Denver tomorrow night to take on the Nuggets.  They plan on leaving Griffin and Jordan home to rest.

Jazz Finally Beat Clippers At Home

March 13th, 2017

The Clippers shot well in the 1st half, but the Jazz had a big 3rd quarter, and defeated LA 114-109 on Monday night in Salt Lake City.

Gordon Hayward had 27 points and George Hill added 19 as Utah defeated the Clippers for the first time in nine tries at home. Chris Paul had 33 points for LA in a losing effort.

The victory gave the Jazz a two-game lead over the Clippers in the race for the No. 4 playoff seed in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the first round.

“They wanted this game,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “They took the game. We played great in the first half and had a lead. I thought we should have had a bigger lead at halftime to be honest. I thought that was our chance to separate and we didn’t.”

The Clippers had a 56-49 lead at the half, behind 18 points from Paul, and 8 straight points from Austin Rivers.  It was just a 7 point lead despite shooting 56% from the field, and 50% from behind the arc.

The Jazz exploded for a 40 point quarter in the 3rd, which was a season-high for any quarter.  Hayward, whose back-to-back 3-pointers gave the Jazz a 103-92 lead. Hill finished with 19 points and Joe Ingles scored 18 off the bench.

Chris Paul was still fairly optimistic despite the loss.  “We got to get it together,” Paul said. “I’d much rather be playing the right way and be playing consistently on both ends and lose a couple of games, but know going into the playoffs we’ve got our principles. We’re still working on them.

“It sucks, but you got to do it. If we were ready for everything right now, we might be peaking too soon, so hopefully we hit it at the right time.”

The Clippers return home to face the Bucks on Wednesday at Staples Center.

 

 

 

Clippers Take Care of 76ers

March 11th, 2017

Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan came up big on Saturday afternoon at Staples Center, and the Clippers took down the 76ers 112-110.

Paul scored 30 points and had 7 assists, while Jordan had 19 points and 20 rebounds to help LA win their fourth game in the last five tries.

The Clipps were somewhat sluggish for the first three quarter of this one, trailing at halftime 57-56, and then trailing heading into the 4th quarter 79-75.  However, a 10-0 run to start the final 12 minutes of the game was the spark they needed to secure the win.

Blake Griffin also had a nice game for LA with 15 points and 10 rebounds.  The win was the Clippers 10th in the last 11 games against Philadelphia.

The 76ers were led by Richaun Holmes, who scored 24 points off the bench.  Rookie Dario Saric scored 16 points, and Jahlil Okafor had 14.

The Clippers got some help from Oklahoma City, who defeated Utah on Saturday afternoon as well.  That means LA is just 1 game back in the loss column from 4th place Utah in the Western Conference.

That couldn’t have come at a better time because the Clippers will travel to Utah on Monday to take on the Jazz in the next game.  There’s just 16 games left and these two teams look like they are on a collision course to meet in the 1st round, so they’ll be fighting to secure home court advantage over the next month.