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LOS ANGELES — For weeks now, the Clippers have become comfortable with each other, learning the nuances, spacing and rotations of their lineups. This sense of ease had led to eight victories in the past 11 games.
Then there are nights when things are going so smoothly that the Clippers momentarily sit back and allow opponents to take advantage of their lapses. The Portland Trail Blazers did just that Monday, overcoming a double-digit deficit in the first quarter, then pushing the Clippers for the next 36 minutes before succumbing, 132-127.
It was the Clippers’ fourth consecutive win and their fifth in the past six games as they improved to 9-3 since their six-game losing streak. But getting there was unexpectedly difficult against the short-handed Blazers, who lost their fourth straight.
The Clippers (12-10) needed a late-game push, a fortunate bounce off an opponent’s foot and several clutch free throws down the stretch to finally subdue the Blazers (6-16).
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said the combination of the Trail Blazers’ young energetic players and their slippage on defense made winning a challenge.
“We couldn’t get stops,” Lue said. “They scored every way. We tried to zone, we tried to blitz, we tried to fire and they just – Chauncey (Billups, Portland coach) has done a hell of a job. Just no matter who’s on the floor, they’re going to play hard and compete. No matter how many points they get down, they’re going to fight back. And I knew it was going to be a tough game for us.”
With 90 seconds left and Portland holding a 123-122 lead, the Clippers missed a pair of 3-point attempts before Terance Mann buried two foul shots for a 124-123 lead with 1:13 remaining. The Clippers missed three consecutive field-goal attempts on their next possession before Paul George drove in for a layup to make it 126-123 with 31 seconds left.
Attempting to set up a potential game-tying 3-point attempt, Anfernee Simons lost the ball when it hit his foot and went out of bounds. That gave the Clippers the ball and Kawhi Leonard made a pair of free throws to give the Clippers a 128-123 lead.
The Blazers twice cut the lead to three points, but free throws by Norman Powell and George ended any threat of an upset.
Leonard finished with 34 points on 11-for-19 shooting to go with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. George had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, James Harden added 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Ivica Zubac had 18 points and six rebounds.
“My team’s in a good rhythm, that’s all I care about,” said Leonard, who scored 25 points after halftime. “Tonight the ball found me and I made shots.”
The Clippers’ ability to stave off the Blazers is a testament to their work ethic, a healthy Leonard and George and how easily Harden has moved into the starting lineup. Leonard has scored 75 points in his past two games and shows no signs of slowing down.
“I think the more games that we can play alongside each other, it’s beneficial for us,” Harden said. “Tonight was difficult and then tomorrow’s going to be more difficult. We got a fast-paced Sacramento coming in. This just shows how good we can be. When we come out with the right mindset, we get a win and just continue to build.
“We got a long season, and like I said, these last few games, we’ve been trending in the right direction. So, it’s definitely a good feeling.
The Blazers seemed overmatched from the start as the Clippers, behind a career-high 14 first-quarter points by Ivica Zubac, built a 43-32 lead. It was the most points they had scored in the opening quarter since April 6, 2021, when they posted 47 points against Portland.
As the first half wore on, though, the Blazers capitalized on sloppy defensive play by the Clippers to erase a 14-point deficit to briefly take a one-point lead (65-64) with 28 seconds left before halftime. George followed with a floater to give the Clippers the lead, 66-65.
Portland was playing without three starters – Jerami Grant (concussion), Deandre Ayton (knee) and Ibou Badji (knee) as well as Malcolm Brogdon (knee), leaving Simons and Shaedon Sharpe to carry much of the scoring load. Simons, who missed 18 games after tearing a ligament in his right thumb in the season opener against the Clippers, scored a career-high 38 points and made all 13 of his free throws.
Sharpe added 27 points and six assists as the Blazers made a season-high 19 3-pointers. Simons had five and Sharpe had four.
The Blazers also got a boost from rookie guard Scoot Henderson, who scored 19 points and had six assists, and former Clippers backup center Moses Brown, who added six points and 12 rebounds.
Portland coach Chauncy Billups said Henderson has struggled in the first few months of his rookie season, but he expects him to find his place eventually. Henderson found Crypto.com Arena to his liking.
The No. 3 overall draft pick continued to find the basket and helped Portland keep pace with the Clippers, who maintained a slight edge. Trailing 82-81, Leonard hit back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers to push the Clippers ahead at 91-88 with 4:37 left in a high-scoring third quarter.
Portland hit 10 of its 3-pointers in the third and the game remained close, too close for Lue’s liking, and he put Russell Westbrook back in. The veteran point guard quickly went to work, scoring five consecutive points to give the Clippers a 98-94 lead with 1:43 left in the quarter. After Henderson scored on a layup, Westbrook fired a pass to Powell, who buried a 5-foot shot for a six-point lead. The Clippers closed the period on a 12-5 run to take a 105-99 lead into the final quarter.
“I thought Russ came off the bench and gave us a huge spark,” Lue said. “We needed it in that second half when he came in the third quarter, but also in the first half as well. Just a total team win for us.”
HARDEN DUNKS
Harden threw down a one-handed dunk in the third, his first since the Clippers acquired him in late October.
“Let’s get this clear. I can still dunk,” the 34-year-old 10-time All-Star said. “I got guys who can do it better.”
Kawhi Leonard scores 34 points, including 25 in the 2H, to lead the @LAClippers to their 4th-straight win 📈💪 pic.twitter.com/BgXjECGj2n
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2023
PG side steps down the lane to go up 3 with 31 seconds remaining!
Trail Blazers-Clippers | Live on the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/ijelbPxmuu pic.twitter.com/Q0eGm2qDig— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2023
Coach Lue on the flow of the game that lead to a W over tough & young Blazers squad🎙@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/DxYIRqZjPl
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 12, 2023
Board Man talks about his 34 point follow up in tonights win over Portland🖐@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/eSRVlLxXoj
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 12, 2023
James Harden SLAM😤 This is getting crazy🔥@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/umae0rU2y9
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 12, 2023
Harden smooth jumper & 1😤@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/rxc0nSpF9v
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 12, 2023
Russ playing hop-scotch!@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/gmOUCO2r0q
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 12, 2023
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