Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Game Recap: San Antonio Spurs Defeat LA Clippers 101-94
The LA Clippers have failed to eclipse 100 points for the third-straight game, two of which have resulted in losses. The team's offense has struggled all season, but especially since Paul George went down. The Clippers came in to this game with the league's 4th-worst offensive rating, with only Detroit, OKC, and Orlando owning worse offensive efficiency ratings than the Clippers. That trend was once again on display in this loss to the Spurs.
Amir Coffey was the Clippers' leading scorer again in this game, putting up 20 points on 7/13 from the field and 4/8 from deep. Over his last four games, Amir is averaging 16 PPG; however, the Clippers have failed to produce around him. Serge Ibaka also had a good game for the Clippers, putting up a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. He was the only Clippers player with a positive plus/minus at +5, but Ty Lue removed him from the game in the final minutes for defensive purposes.
After the game, coach Lue said that he opted to go small in those final minutes, in order to switch everything defensively. Lue highlighted the play of Dejounte Murray, placing emphasis on the unique challenges he provides for traditional centers. This is what went into the decision to sit Ibaka to close the game, which is when the Clippers really fell apart.
The Clippers took a 94-93 lead with 4:18 to play, but went just 0/4 from the field with five turnovers from that point until the final buzzer. Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, and Eric Bledsoe, three players the Clippers rely on heavily, were all very bad in this game, and especially down the stretch. Jackson scored just seven points on 3/14 from the field, and Morris had 15 points on 6/17 shooting, including two consecutive turnovers in crunch time. Eric Bledsoe logged 26 minutes off the bench, and shot 3/11 from the field to go along with four turnovers.
After the game, Clippers' leading scorer Amir Coffey said the team will go look at game film before moving past this game and focusing on the next one. He emphasized the need to learn from mistakes, while also not dwelling on what was a bad loss. The team will play again on Monday afternoon at 12:30 against the Indiana Pacers.
