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 a better degree in opposition to 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 enjoying short-handed due to a commerce made earlier within the day.
In what grew to become 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 finally dropping 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 save lots of 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.
“Just talking to the guys today, they owned it,” stated Lue, concerning the group’s latest struggles earlier than enjoying the Pacers. “We have to be better, all around the board. It can’t be from a lack of playing hard and competing. We understand that we are a defensive-minded team first. Everything else takes care of itself and we haven’t done it the last three games. So, they understood that, I understand that and we just got to be better. It doesn’t mean you are going to win every game, but the way you lose and how you lose is something totally 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 response to folks with data 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 stated, “No, sir.”
The Clippers have been among the finest defensive groups within the NBA, rating third in factors allowed (107.5), second in defensive ranking (108.2) and second in steals (10.2).
Even with all that, the Clippers knew their protection can be pushed by the Pacers.
They got here to L.A. ranked tenth in scoring (107.5), fourth in field-goal proportion (49.1%) and ninth in three-point taking pictures (36.9%).
The Clippers began sturdy, 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) stored clawing again, taking a 64-61 lead at halftime by outsourcing the Clippers 42-19 within the second quarter.
