The Scuffling Clippers prepare for a 2-game set with the Blazers
THE Los Angeles Clippers aim to get out of their state of mind when facing the host Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday night in the first game of a two-game series between the teams.
The Clippers have lost four of their last five games and are five games out of first place in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles (42-25) and the Trail Blazers (19-49) will play again Friday night in Portland.
The Clippers are in fourth place in the Western Conference with 15 games remaining. The Trail Blazers are already eliminated from playoff contention and have lost seven of their last nine games.
The Clippers are coming off a mediocre effort in which they lost 110-93 to the visiting Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. Their deficit peaks at 29 points.
“If you don’t play hard and compete and take care of the things you need to take care of every night, you can lose,” Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said per the following. “And so tonight was one of those nights.”
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points and Paul George 26 against Atlanta. However, the Clippers were outscored 57-33 midway through the two quarters while being outscored by the Hawks.
Leonard had 17 points in the first quarter before Atlanta made adjustments.
“I have to give them credit,” Leonard said. “They started shrinking the ground and bringing another guy towards me.”
Aside from Leonard and George, no other Los Angeles player reached double figures, including James Harden in his return from a two-game absence caused by left shoulder strain.
Harden dished out nine assists, but managed just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting.
Harden struggled with his shooting even before his injury. Over his last four appearances, he is averaging 12 points on 34.8 percent shooting (16 of 46).
The Clippers are surely happy to see Portland on the roster for back-to-back games. Los Angeles is 2-0 against the Trail Blazers this season and has won the last seven meetings between the teams.
Leonard averaged 28.5 points in this season’s two wins, while Anfernee Simons averaged 28 for Portland.
Simons recorded 30 points and nine assists in the Trail Blazers’ 110-107 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday, and he couldn’t make a tying 3-point attempt before the buzzer. The shot missed anyway.
Simons has scored 30 or more points four times this month, capped by a 36-point effort in a 106-102 home win over the Hawks on March 13.
Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 15 rebounds against Chicago and has scored 20 or more points in all six games since returning from a hand injury. He is averaging 26.8 points and 15 rebounds during this stretch.
Ayton has a double-double in eight of his last nine appearances.
Portland coach Chauncey Billups said his team didn’t do a good job sharing the ball in the first three quarters against the Bulls. Unsurprisingly, the Trail Blazers were down 89-75 heading into the final quarter.
A turnaround in the fourth quarter in terms of ball distribution helped Portland close the gap.
“We found a way to start moving it,” Billups said. “Playing really fast got us back in the game. Playing the way we usually like to play. And we gave ourselves a chance, which was great.”
Portland has been without Jerami Grant (hamstring) in six of the last seven games, and he was listed as questionable on Wednesday. Teammate Matisse Thybulle aggravated an ankle injury and left in the second quarter against Chicago, leaving him doubtful for Wednesday.
–Field level media
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