The LA Clippers returned for the final game before their upcoming eight game Grammy road trip and came away with a 139-133 win over the Indiana Pacers. Keep reading for a full recap of the Clippers’ win over the Pacers.
Summary
It’s no secret that the Clippers haven’t always done so well with the early 12:30 p.m. PST starts, but they sure didn’t seem to care this time. In what was one of their best opening quarters of the past couple of seasons, the Clippers put up 40 points on high efficiency and really set the tone for the rest of the game.
The Clippers got big contributions early on from Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris Sr., and Amir Coffey. Zubac took advantage with Myles Turner unavailable for the Pacers and started out 3-3 for eight early points. Morris hit a few of his early shots, but the big difference with his play was that most of his shots came off of catch and shoot rather than ISO situations.
Coffey continued his strong play since being placed in the starting lineup. His playmaking and ball-handling ability allowed Reggie Jackson to find some rhythm off ball a little bit and take scoring opportunities as they come along. He had 12 points in the first quarter including a four point play after drawing a foul on a three-point shot.
The Pacers were able to sneak back into the game in the second quarter and after a drive to the rim by Caris LeVert, their once double-digit lead was down to 54-52. But the Clippers were able to regain control with a small run to end the quarter and go into the half with a 68-59 lead.
In the third quarter, Nicolas Batum was able to get going. He scored 32 points, all in the second half, mostly off of cuts to the rim and open three-point shots with little to no dribbles.
The Clippers dominance in the third quarter came to a head when Jackson drove to the rim and flipped a pass behind his head to Isaiah Hartenstein for a dunk that gave them a 98-79 lead, their biggest of the day.
But the Pacers weren’t going to go away that easily. Chris Duarte had a big game off the bench for Indiana, and his layup with just under nine minutes in the fourth quarter cut the Clipper lead to single digits, 107-98.
But it was Batum’s day, as he continued to drill three-point shots in the final few minutes to keep Indiana at bay. The Pacers were able to make things interesting in the final minute, but some clutch free-throw shooting by the Clippers and a drawn charge by Batum sealed the win.
Notes
- Nic Batum had one of his best games in a Clipper uniform and one of the best of his career. He was three points short of his career-high (35) and he did all his damage by simply moving off the ball. After the game, he mentioned that all of it came from just taking advantage of the defensive coverage the Pacers were giving to his teammates. With how close the game ended up being down the stretch, the Clippers needed all 32 of his points, but he contributed across the board as well. He had five rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots, and drew a charge that effectively sealed the win. He hasn’t been able to get into much of rhythm since coming back from protocols. A healthy Batum does wonders for this Clipper team.
- The three center conundrum is back with Isaiah Hartenstein healthy. Tyronn Lue mentioned before the game that he’ll play all three of Ivica Zubac, Serge Ibaka and Hartenstein in the first half, and then their play will determine who gets minutes in the second half. Today, it was Ibaka who was the first center off the bench, but Hartenstein who earned the second half minutes. At this point, Hartenstein is just more valuable than Ibaka on the court. He provides more on both ends of the floor and has been one of the team’s most important players.
- Luke Kennard is out of health and safety protocols and although he did not play against Indiana, he will make his return on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets. It’s not a stretch to say that Kennard has been one the most important Clippers this season with his shooting/scoring ability and his playmaking/ball-handling. With no Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, his value and necessity to the team has increased in a big way. The Clippers should finally be able to field a full lineup minus their injured stars on this road trip.