The message was clear from Clippers coach Tyronn Lue to his group: Play exhausting and compete.
After seeing his gamers battle within the final three video games — together with two losses — Lue insisted his gamers carry out at the next stage towards the fast-paced Indiana Pacers on Thursday evening at Intuit Dome.
Lue wasn’t going to simply accept any excuses, even when the Clippers had been taking part in short-handed due to a commerce made earlier within the day.
In what turned a topsy-turvy sport, the Clippers opened a 22-point lead within the second quarter, fell behind by 13 within the third, then rallied late earlier than in the end shedding 119-112.
Kawhi Leonard performed a season-high 33 minutes and scored 11 of his 19 factors within the fourth, however that wasn’t sufficient to avoid wasting the Clippers from their third consecutive loss.
Ivica Zubac had a double-double with 18 factors and 15 rebounds and James Harden had 22 factors, 9 assists and 6 rebounds.
However 19 turnovers coupled with their lack of ability to cease guard Tyrese Haliburton doomed L.A. Haliburton scored 9 of his 14 factors within the fourth quarter.
“Simply speaking to the blokes at present, they owned it,” mentioned Lue, in regards to the workforce’s current struggles earlier than taking part in the Pacers. “We have now to be higher, throughout the board. It may’t be from a scarcity of taking part in exhausting and competing. We perceive that we’re a defensive-minded workforce first. Every thing else takes care of itself and we haven’t performed it the final three video games. So, they understood that, I perceive that and we simply acquired to be higher. It doesn’t imply you’ll win each sport, however the best way you lose and the way you lose is one thing completely completely different.”
Earlier than the sport, the Clippers (28-23) traded fan-favorite Terance Mann and Bones Hyland to the Atlanta Hawks for guard Bogdan Bogdanovic and three second-round draft picks, in keeping with folks with information of the deal not licensed to talk publicly. Additionally they traded reserve guard Kevin Porter Jr. to the Milwaukee Bucks for MarJon Beauchamp.
When requested if he may touch upon the trades, Lue mentioned, “No, sir.”
The Clippers have been probably the greatest defensive groups within the NBA, rating third in factors allowed (107.5), second in defensive score (108.2) and second in steals (10.2).
Even with all that, the Clippers knew their protection could be pushed by the Pacers.
They got here to L.A. ranked tenth in scoring (107.5), fourth in field-goal share (49.1%) and ninth in three-point taking pictures (36.9%).
The Clippers began robust, holding the Pacers to 22 factors on 27.6% taking pictures within the first quarter, whereas scoring 42 factors.
Indiana middle Myles Turner took a forearm to the face and needed to be helped again to the locker room with 6:13 left within the first. He was later dominated out for a concussion analysis.
However the Pacers (29-21) saved clawing again, taking a 64-61 lead at halftime by outsourcing the Clippers 42-19 within the second quarter.