The Clippers let a big first-half lead slip before coming back to take the win over the Lakers in the closing seconds, 105-102. Sound familiar? It was a lot like their last contest, only longer. Read on for this full recap of the Clippers’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers:

Summary

Basketball is a game of runs reviews; a tale of two halves; role-player heroes; adventures in transition; and more. Here’s what you need to know:

— The lead story of this game was going to be about two disparate halves. But the officials turned the last 30 seconds of game-time into 30 minutes, so let’s talk about that first.

With 24.5 seconds remaining and the Clippers leading 103-102, LeBron James landed out of bounds while trying to pass the ball away. Robert Covington intercepted the ball but his first gathering dribble was called out of bounds. In real time, it seemed clear that LeBron’s foot was on the floor before he’d gotten the ball away, but it was fast and it was close, so we’ll be fair.

Tyronn Lue challenged the call on the floor.

The officials watched the replays. For more than 10 minutes.

Eventually, they realized what most everyone else knew and awarded the Clippers the ball while resetting the clock to 25.6 seconds. The Clippers inbounded the ball to a gassed Reggie Jackson in the backcourt, who dribbled sideways for a while before drawing an apparent bailout foul with 17 seconds on the shot clock. Close one. The Lakers challenged.

Many more minutes later, the officials rescinded the foul and gave the Clippers a side-out with a single second to advance the ball into the front court. Nic Batum passed to Reggie way back near their own defensive baseline. Reggie crossed half-court four seconds letter. Lakers’ ball.

Fortunately for the Clippers and their place in the standings, Carmelo Anthony missed the go-ahead three-pointer, Reggie Jackson splashed two free throws, and LeBron heaved a literal last-second miss to seal the season-series victory and playoff-seed tiebreaker for the Clippers

As long as it took you to read that, rest assured that it took much longer to happen.

— Let’s talk actual basketball things, of which the Clippers were much better in the first half than in the second.

After a cautious post-All-Star-break start for both teams, the Clippers’ offense cranked into motion, eating when either LeBron or Dwight Howard was off the floor.

Luke Kennard connected on 4 of 6 threes, a couple coming from Highland Park, to record 14 of his 18 points before halftime. He was a man in motion, encapsulating a first-half team effort that crackled with defensive intensity and crisp ball movement, neither of which were matched by the creaky Lakers.

For 24 minutes, the Lakers’ offense failed to get unstuck. They attempted 11 wayward threes before finally connecting on their 12th. Their offense mostly consisted of Dwight Howard rebounds. His first-half double-double, on the way to 14 and 16 for the game, helps explain how the Lakers trailed by just 10 at the half while being outshot 51% to 38%.

Two very different teams came out for the third quarter. The Lakers discovered their urgency. The Clippers, whose current roster leaves little room for margin, failed to execute to the same level.

Half-time wasn’t the exact turning point — the Lakers had already begun clawing into the Clippers’ largest lead of 16 in the second quarter — but the third quarter clarified that the game had indeed turned. Law Murray of The Athletic observed that the Clippers’ 16-point third-quarter shortfall represented their worst mark for any quarter this season.

Much of the Clippers’ struggles were in transition, going in both directions. Officially, they lost the fast-break battle by just 5 points, but that hardly accounts for missed opportunities. And the Lakers made the most of theirs, executing their open-floor chances to build both rhythm and crowd enthusiasm. It was here that the difference in available playmakers really became apparent.

The fourth-quarter was more closely contested, teeter-tottering as Brian Sieman is fond of saying. But it was the identity of the key contestants that made it really interesting.

— With Reggie Jackson faltering under the weight of his playmaking burden, the Clippers needed somebody to step up. Terance Mann and Amir Coffey did.

Terance was the leading Mann, coming through with timely buckets and pacing the Clippers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. His energy is game-breaking, and tonight he showed a real feel for the moment, taking over at critical junctures to break the Lakers’ rhythm.

Coffey provided the fourth-quarter buzz — pats self on back — tallying 12 of his 14 points in the final frame. He still has his adventures in transition, but he brought the necessary downhill element to force cracks in the Laker wall.

Even for the Lakers, it was the secondary players who largely carried the night. LeBron was listed as questionable yesterday, but started and played a game-high 36 minutes. He struggled under heavy defensive attention, recording a game-high in points with a pedestrian 21 on 33% shooting. The Clippers made him pass early, and the lack of incisive opportunities is reflected by his 3 meager assists against 6 turnovers.

With LeBron neutered, Carmelo Anthony and Talen Horton-Tucker managed a heavier load. (Yes, Carmelo is a role player now.) Carmelo did his thing from the low-post while also homing in from beyond the arc. He scored 18 off the bench with 4 made threes.

Horton-Tucker put forth one of his better efforts of the season, scoring all 16 of his points in the second half. Much to the relief of the Lakers, he looked dangerous off the bounce and connected on both of his three-point attempts.

— Reggie Jackson scored 17 points in another high-usage role. He added six assists but turned it over five times. He was conspicuously spent by the fourth quarter.

Robert Covington finished plus-19 in just 20 minutes. He scored 10 points and was an absolute wrecking ball on defense. He probably should’ve played more.

Ivica Zubac won’t put this game on his CV. He was bullied by Dwight in the first-half and played sparingly in the second after drawing an early fourth foul. Isaiah Hartenstein played 28 capable minutes in his stead, matching Reggie for the team-high in assists.

Marcus Morris Sr. scored the Clippers’ first 6 points and made a tough go-ahead jumper in the final minute. He didn’t do a lot offensively in between.

Russell Westbrook scored 18 points in 33 minutes and didn’t turn the ball over once. Laker fans will still find ways to be mad at him.

Austin Reaves only scored 6 points but made 2 blocks, including a power swat on Reggie Jackson. He did positive things all night after earning a starting nod.

Thanks for reading this recap of the Clippers’ win over the Lakers. Stay on the lookout for more game coverage and analysis and an episode of TLTJTP soon.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Clippers vs. Lakers Recap: Game of Reviews
Thomas Wood

Lucas, Rob, and Shap get together in Part 1 of their two part series going through player grades for your favorite Clippers so far this season, fresh off a strong win heading into the break. Part 1 features Eric Bledsoe, Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, Amir Coffey, Brandon Boston Jr., Paul George, Norman Powell, Rodney Hood, Keon Johnson, Xavier Moon, and James Ennis III.

Check out the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

All Star Break Player Grades, Part 1
Shapan Debnath

Lucas, Rob, and Shap wrap up their Around the Beat series with Tomer Azarly from Clutch Points and then with fellow podders Joseph Raya-Ward from Clipset, and Will Updyke/Chuck Mockler from Locked On Clippers.

Check out the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

Around the Beat Pt 2 with Tomer Azarly, Joseph Raya-Ward, William Updyke and Chuck Mockler
Shapan Debnath

Lucas, Rob, and Shap joined by Law Murray of the Athletic, Mirjam Swanson of the OC Register, and Andrew Greif of the LA Times for TLTJTP’s annual Around the Beat series! Pt 2 coming tomorrow. Questions included our expecations for PG, will Kawhi come back, breakout LAC player, and hot takes.

Check out the pod here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

Around the Beat Pt 1 with Law Murray, Mirjam Swanson, and Andrew Greif
Shapan Debnath

Lucas, Shap, and Rob answer your Twitter questions in this week’s TLTJTP. Fun topics include the ceiling of the 21-22 Clippers, what we expect from Luke/Zu/Terance, and what the DeAndre Jordan signing to the Lakers means for the Clippers prospects with Marc Gasol.

Checkout the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

Twitter Questions Episode!
Shapan Debnath

In this episode of The Lob, The Jam, The Podcast, Dr. Shap and Robert Flom break down the Clippers’ emphatic win as they ease by Chicago Bulls and answer audience questions submitted on twitter. Follow @213Hoops on twitter for your chance to have a question answered in a future show!

Check out the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

Podcast: Clippers Ease by Bulls, and Twitter Questions
Shapan Debnath

Dr. Shap and Lucas Hann discuss the Clippers’ pair of wins in Florida as the team narrowly beat the Miami Heat without both of their stars and then were at full strength as they trounced the Magic on Friday. Did Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann do enough this week to carve out permanent roles? How worried should Clippers fans be about Lou Williams’ struggles? What should we expect in the back half of this road trip? That and more in this episode.

Check out the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

Podcast: Clippers Beat Heat, Magic
Shapan Debnath

Dr. Shap, Robert Flom, and Lucas Hann break down the Clippers’ tight loss as they slip to the Atlanta Hawks and discuss expectations as the team navigates this six-game road trip without three of their starters. Then, the trio give their takes on early trade rumors involving the team.

Check out the podcast here! Be sure to rate and review us five stars on whatever platform you listen to us on, and give us feedback in the comments below!

Podcast: Clippers Slip to Hawks
Shapan Debnath

Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features rookie Terance Mann.

Basic Information

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 215 lbs

Position: Guard

Age: 23 (turns 24 October 18th)

Years in NBA: 1

Key Stats: Played 8.8 minutes per game in 41 appearances this year, posting per-36-minute averages of 9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.8 turnovers, and 4.6 fouls. Shot 46.8% from the field and 35% from three.

Started in all 20 of his G-League appearances with the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, playing 35 minutes per game and averaging 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and shooting 53.5% from the field and 32.7% from three.

Contract Status: After drafting Mann with the 48th overall pick last season, the Clippers signed him to a four-year minimum contract. His $1.5 million salary for 2020-21 is guaranteed, while his $1.8M and $1.9M for the final two years are not.

Expectations

Realistically, we should never, ever have expectations for non-lottery rookies–especially for a player like Mann, who was picked 48th overall and then immediately asked to move from playing on the wing in college to point guard in the NBA. But, naturally, folks get their hopes up, and that was only exacerbated when Jerry West talked the rookie up before the season began.

In terms of strengths and weaknesses, Mann was expected to be a smart and versatile player offensively and a big, active point of attack defender at 6’5″. A crafty distributor from the wing in college, we knew he was going to struggle in his first year trying to run an NBA offense, and individually we anticipated that he would struggle to be a true creator or scorer unless his shot came along significantly.

In terms of role on the team, there shouldn’t have been much expectation that Mann would get rotation minutes with established veterans Lou Williams, Landry Shamet, and Rodney McGruder ahead of him on the perimeter for the second unit. Offensively, everyone knew he would need time to learn a new position at the professional level, and on the other end, almost every rookie guard struggles to defend at first in the NBA.

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• Clippers vs Grizzlies Preview: A November Must-Win Game

Reality

If we accept that the expectation for Mann, as the 48th overall pick in his rookie year learning a new position, was nothing, then the reality of him as a rookie was pretty good! But for folks who were hoping that he would break into the guard rotation by the end of the season, seeing Mann relegated to emergency depth duties was likely a bit of a disappointment.

Overall, I thought he had a good year, though. Offensively, he was inconsistent as the Clippers cycled through emergency point guards in an attempt to find quality depth behind Patrick Beverley–Derrick Walton Jr., Jerome Robinson, Landry Shamet, Mann, and finally Reggie Jackson. Over the course of six spot starts from November to January, it was clear that Mann wasn’t quite trustworthy in that role at this early stage in his career, and as a result he stayed anchored to the bench as Jackson and Shamet filled in for the injured Beverley in the first round against Dallas.

But as unreliable as Mann was on offense, he showed flashes of being a dynamic playmaker that is encouraging in terms of his long-term development, most notably closing the season with a 25-point, 14-rebound, 9-assist performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder and posting 13 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds in a start over the Atlanta Hawks last November, nearly a year ago. But both of those games become a little less meaningful when held up to scrutiny: against OKC, both teams played third-stringers as they rested in the season finale to prepare for the playoffs, and against Atlanta, the Clippers jumped out to a double-digit first quarter lead behind a red-hot start and ended up coasting to a 49-point win, 150-101. So, while you’d rather your prospects play well in garbage minutes than struggle, Mann’s best offensive performances came in some of the lowest-intensity settings you’ll ever see in an NBA season.

In more normal situations, he was often invisible offensively, not providing meaningful on-ball creation or off-ball spacing from a position where NBA players are expected to provide both. His season numbers look respectable largely because Rivers minimized Mann’s usage in meaningful situations, saving him from being overly exposed. In our pre-bubble check-ins, Rob Flom wrote that Mann was routinely hesitant and non-impactful when given rotation minutes.

On the other end, however, Mann was the rare guard who managed to be a plus defender during his rookie campaign. His energy, size, and IQ all yielded defensive production far more quickly than you would expect on a reasonable development timeline, and while his overall limitations kept him out of the playoff rotation, he actually earned Doc Rivers’ trust as a situational defender. I never would have guessed that Terance Mann would appear in every single Clippers playoff game, but he saw at least a few seconds of action in all 13, often just to provide a possession of defense at the end of a quarter. It might not seem like much, but I think it’s significant that Rivers trusted Mann more as a single-possession defensive sub than Rodney McGruder, a four-year veteran with over 100 NBA starts who is known as a gritty perimeter defender.

Future with Clippers

Mann’s immediate future with the Clippers is safe–the team believed in him enough after drafting him that they gave him the aforementioned four-year deal with two guaranteed seasons, and clearly the franchise made the decision to be patient with his development as they asked a 23-year-old rookie to transition to point guard as he transitioned into the NBA. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t on the team’s opening night roster, whenever next season begins. They have no reason to cut a cheap prospect who multiple people in the organization are high on, and he simply hasn’t shown enough to have the kind of positive trade value that would make him a likely inclusion in any move the Clippers may try to make this off-season.

Following a moderately successful rookie campaign, Mann is left in a tricky in-between space on a contender’s roster: the next step for him to grow his career is to play regular rotation minutes, but he hasn’t shown enough for a good team to be comfortable having him as a top-10 rotation guy headed into the season. That is especially true for the Clippers, whose primary point guard is the injury- and foul-prone Patrick Beverley–they need more reliable veteran depth, which likely relegates Mann to the third string again.

If he can take sufficient steps forward, though, Mann will get his chances to break into the rotation. NBA seasons are long, 82-game marathons, and multiple players in front of him in the guard rotation will miss time and allow Terance to get real opportunities in competitive NBA regular season settings. He’ll have to improve upon his performances from his rookie campaign to be impressive, and while increased comfort at the professional level should come naturally, improving his volume and efficiency from deep will be a taller task.

By earning those 11th-man type depth minutes, Mann can cement his place on the Clippers’ roster going forward and begin to make his case to the team that he is capable of being penciled into the 10-man rotation as a third-year player (even if he doesn’t prove rotation quality, he can still secure his spot on the team by demonstrating that he can be relied upon for quality depth and situational utility). But if Terance can’t emerge as a legitimate depth option in 2021, whether it be due to his own struggles when given chances or due to being overtaken by fellow prospect Amir Coffey (or a new acquisition), the team will enter the 2021 off-season seriously questioning whether they want to guarantee his salary and roster spot for 2021-22. After a low-stakes rookie campaign, this is going to be a big year for Terance.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Terance Mann
Lucas Hann

After playing 20 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks in game one, Patrick Beverley hasn’t played since due to a recurring calf injury. Reggie Jackson has been next up off the bench, but as recent performances against Dallas indicate, Jackson needs to play less, not more.

Game One:

Though the Clippers currently lead the series 2-1, the absence of Beverley is evident on both ends of the floor. As I detailed in a previous piece, Beverley sticks to his role and excels in it. He plays tremendous, physical defense and spaces the floor at a solid clip.

Jackson’s veteran experience failed to show up in 16 minutes of playing time coming off the bench. Jackson went 0-5 from the floor, including a missed shot from deep. He recorded three rebounds and an assist but also picked up two fouls in that span.

In this clip, Trey Burke cuts off Jackson’s path to come around the screen, forcing him to drive towards Boban Marjanovic. Jackson attempts a floater over the towering center only to get blocked from behind. Ideally, you’d want Jackson to look for a kick out pass as the lane to Paul George is open, but Jackson’s narrow focus leads to a block. 

Kristaps Porzingis’ ejection made life easier for the Clippers’ defense as they were able to pull out a victory despite shooting 34% from deep. Beverley’s 20 minutes were scattered throughout the game and he played critical crunch time minutes, but Jackson’s series was already off to a rough start. Combine that with his poor play in the seeding games, and the call to have Reggie Jackson play less was already mounting with Clippers fans.

Game Two:

Jackson got the nod from Doc Rivers to start as Beverley didn’t play due to his calf injury. Offensively, Jackson was L.A.’s best three point shooter on the night, going 3-5. Jackson converted on a pullup three for his first make and then roamed the arc for catch-and-shoot attempts on his other two makes.

Jackson’s attempts reminded me of Beverley’s role on offense. Beverley would let the creators create, and when he needed to shoot, he’d shoot. Jackson got to his spots and supported the main cast with triples, but where he really struggled was on the defensive end.

Besides Lou Williams, the Clippers don’t have a reliable backup point guard. Even then, Williams doesn’t play the same role as Beverley. Unfortunately, the defensive drop-off from Beverley to Jackson is significantly steep and the Clippers paid the price in game two.

This play shows Luka Doncic driving down the lane, and a quick hesitation crossover throws Jackson off balance. Jackson fails to recover and it’s an easy layup for Doncic. Jackson’s lack of lateral quickness is on display here. Because of Doncic’s driving abilities and his own defensive weaknesses, Jackson should’ve left more room between him and Doncic to close off the drive. Jackson made it too easy and the help defense arrived late because the play unfolded so quickly.

Doncic has obtained multiple favorable matchups in pick and roll situations and a similar one occurs here. Late in the shot clock, Doncic combines with Porzingis deep in the half court. Situational awareness plays a big role here. Jackson allows Doncic to catch the high pass rather than getting in his grill and disrupting it. Doncic gets space from the screen to make a move and Ivica Zubac cuts off the dribble drive.

Jackson needs to tag back to the “roller”, as there’s not enough time for a roll and Porzingis prefers to pop anyway. Luka reads the defnse immediately and makes the pass to Porzingis who has enough time to get set and shoot. With Zubac also pointing towards Porzingis, Marcus Morris Sr. is the one who closes out. Unfortunately, he was too late, and Kristaps drained it. All that wouldn’t have been necessary if the roller was stopped from initially slipping out. Porzingis is the better three point shooter than Doncic, and though it’s just a difference of four percentage points, you’d take your chances with the 31% shooter in Doncic than Porzingis who is a 35% shooter. Doncic and Porzingis combined for 51 points in this game and you’d have to believe that figure would be lower if Jackson’s defense was adequate.

Game Three:

Doc Rivers made the switch to bring Jackson off the bench and have Landry Shamet start in his place. Jackson played 17 minutes in this game and strictly stuck to catch-and-shoot attempts. Jackson hit 2-4 threes, which isn’t a bad figure, and tried to do less on offense.

In this clip, Dallas forgets Jackson exists in the left corner and it’s a wide open look. Jackson has plenty of time to take the shot. Jackson didn’t attempt anything besides three pointers and it worked in his favor. Through three games, Jackson is 6-18 (33.3%) overall and 5-10 (50%) from deep. Though both are small sample sizes over the course of three games, it’s not surprising that when Jackson sticks to a specific role, he tends to see better results.

The Shamet-Jackson swap worked on both ends. Shamet only managed two points in 18 minutes in game two, but answered the call with 18 points in 27 minutes in game three. Shamet’s presence tied things better defensively than Jackson as well.

The Clippers won’t have an ideal replacement for Beverley when he’s hurt. Maybe Doc gives the youngsters in Rodney McGruder and Terence Mann a run, but Shamet’s performance in game three gives some hope that the team doesn’t need Jackson to play heavy minutes when Beverley is unavailable.

Jackson can be serviceable when he glues himself to a limited role – the less he tries to do, the better. Until Beverley is back, the Clippers need Jackson to do less in his minutes: just hit threes when the opportunities come. That’s the best way Jackson can make an impact for his team.

For now, with Landry Shamet playing well, Reggie Jackson should play less for the Clippers to be at their best.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

Reggie Jackson Needs To Play Less for Clippers to Thrive
Sanjesh Singh