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The LA Clippers narrowly defeated the Miami Heat Thursday night by a score of 109-105 in a game that didn’t have to be as entertaining and emotionally draining as it was.
Despite a crazy 37-point trade by the Clippers, the Heat still had a long shot of stealing the game, returning to six points with just under 30 seconds left in regulation time. When Marcus Morris Sr. was on the ball, Reggie Jackson noticed that his teammate was trapped and instinctively called for a time out to save possession. However, Jackson was unaware that the Clippers had no timeouts remaining, and this resulted in a technical foul that gave the Heat a free throw and the ball.
Jackson was visibly upset with himself for potentially costing his team a game they had worked so hard to come back and win. But his teammates weren’t upset. They were talking about Jackson, giving him affirmation and letting him know that everything was fine. Nicolas Batum relayed what he and his teammates said at the meeting after Jackson’s mistake.
“We’re all going to make mistakes, but we keep going,” Batum recalled after the game. “We have to stick together. That’s the team this year. That’s the strength of this team, and I love it.”
Head coach Tyronn Lue shared Batum’s sentiment.
“All the guys said ‘Next play. It was a mistake, so what? Let’s stop getting out of the waiting time. It is something that happens. It’s over. The boys stayed behind him. “
Jackson would continue to throw a free throw to seal his squad’s victory. Batum’s quote represented the Clippers’ attitude not just toward Jackson’s mistake, but toward the entirety of their game against the Heat.
Going into the game, the story of the night was the absurd amount of absences that plagued both teams: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley all left for the Clippers; Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, Avery Bradley and Moe Harkless are in favor of the Heat. These extensive absentee lists are starting to feel like the norm in the COVID-plagued NBA, and it can be easy for casual viewers to lose interest in games like these, where recognizable names are few and far between. But those who stayed were rewarded with a roller coaster ride from a basketball game.
LA couldn’t buy a basket in the first quarter, going just 1-9 of three and finally falling behind to 18. The Clippers were looking good despite failing both of their offensive engines, but the shots just weren’t going off. However, LA is statistically the best three-point shooting team in basketball, and this cold stretch couldn’t last forever. It turned out that it only lasted a quarter. The Clippers made a ridiculous 14 of their next 25 3-pointers, turning an 18-point deficit into a 19-point lead after three quarters. The Clippers scored 40 points in the third quarter alone, hitting a franchise record of nine triples.
It was a brilliant change that represented more than the adage of “make or lose the league.” The sold out list could have easily flipped and died after the first quarter and attributed to his lack of star power. But they fought back, they played the same style they’ve played all year that has given them one of the best records in the league, and they earned a valuable victory. It was truly a team effort (six players in double figures) with Nicolas Batum leading the way.
Batum on fire
In addition to his words of support, Batum also set an example, dropping 18 points and hitting six of his nine 3s, including four in the third quarter. The sample size continues to grow for Batum’s historic three-point shot, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. He has become an absolute sniper for the Clippers, still hovering around 46% from center during the season. If he can sustain something close to this level of production during the postseason, it could be a series-change weapon.
The shine of the young
Terrence Mann and Amir Coffey got all they got with the Clippers stars sitting down, and it’s safe to say they made Tyronn Lue proud. Mann (12 points) was the team’s best +17 and gave the Clippers some much-needed perimeter defense. He protected Duncan Robinson for much of the game and kept the shooter just 2-8 from the field. Coffey also contributed on the defensive end. Although he had never recorded a steal in his first nine NBA games before this one, he took three of them, allowing his team to transition out for easy baskets. These younger players will have their minutes cut when Leonard and George return, but games like these give young players a validation for their patience.
Lou Will returns to form
Lou Williams has struggled offensively since returning from a hip injury, shooting less than 26% from the field in his last four games, but the Sixth Man came off his slump Thursday, scoring 17 points off the bench and hitting eight. of his nine free. spear. Amid all the Lonzo Ball and Derrick Rose trade rumors, Williams proved that he can still be a productive guard with a knack for generating contact and creating off pick-and-roll.
The Clippers are in the middle of a Florida special as they face the Orlando Magic on Friday at 5 pm PST in a tough back-to-back stage. It is not yet clear if Leonard and George will be allowed to play.
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