The LA Clippers managed to compete through three quarters against the Milwaukee Bucks but couldn’t sustain it as they fell (insert final score).
Summary
With no Kawhi Leonard and the trade deadline trio of Eric Gordon, Mason Plumlee and Bones Hyland not yet able to play, this was going to be a tough one for the Clippers. While the Bucks have also used injury management to rest some of their players and they did do so on the second night of a back-to-back with holding Khris Middleton out. But they still had Giannis Antetokounmpo and that proved to be the difference.
Antetokounmpo started things off strong scoring the first eight points of the game for the Bucks. The Clippers weren’t able to get into an offensive rhythm to start the game and from the get-go it looked like it might be a long night. But they were able to get things going offensively and dug down defensively to essentially play the Bucks even and take a slim lead at the end of one.
The Bucks came out strong again in the second quarter with a 7-0 run, but the the Clippers bench unit led by Amir Coffey sliced into that run and put the Clippers ahead. The Bucks answered back though and took a slim lead into the half.
While the Clippers continued to keep the game close in the third quarter even amid superhuman efforts by Antetokounmpo, they just couldn’t sustain their energy in the fourth quarter. Too much Antetokounmpo and too much Brook Lopez was the story of the game.
Despite the loss, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was pleased with the overall effort against a good team despite being shorthanded.
“I just liked our fight early on. We got down early, 14-2, we kept fighting and build a lead, we got it up to eight in the first half,” Lue said. “We didn’t make shots. I thought we got some good looks early on and it kind of deflated us but then we stuck with it, we came back. Our defense was really good.”
The Clippers will now have three days off before their next opponent, the Golden State Warriors come to town. The new trade deadline additions in Gordon, Plumlee and Bones are set to take their physicals over the weekend and if all goes well as expected, they could see the court on Tuesday.
“It’s going to take a little time but it won’t be hard. We’ve been mixing and matching since I’ve been here so we’ll figure it out at some point,” Lue said. “I’m happy for the additions, those guys seemed fired up to be here. We’re excited to get those guys on the court and start building.”
