One of the hottest teams in the NBA is starting to see significant results from its recent hard work as the Los Angeles Clippers take a full head of steam into a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday in Inglewood, Calif.
The Clippers have gone 14-3 since March 5 and only recently have moved up from play-in tournament status to gain a strong chance of capturing a top-six playoff qualifying spot in the Western Conference.
Work still remains, with the Clippers (46-32) merely in a four-way tie of teams that straddle the play-in/playoff line in the conference standings. The Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies all have the same record, but tiebreakers have Los Angeles in fifth in the West, with Golden State sixth.
Key to the Clippers’ surge is the emergence of a dependable offense to go along with an established top defense. Kawhi Leonard is back to an elite level after his season debut was delayed until January because of knee discomfort.
“He’s been playing great ever since he’s been back,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after Leonard played on consecutive days for the first time this season on Friday and Saturday. “You give it a couple games to kick the rust off, but other than that, he’s been looking like Kawhi. (Saturday) was no different.”
Los Angeles’ second-highest point total of the season came in a 135-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. Leonard and James Harden each scored 29 points, while Ivica Zubac added 25 points on 11-of-11 shooting while grabbing 10 rebounds.
Zubac became the first player in NBA history to score at least 25 points with double-digit rebounds and no turnovers, all while not missing a shot from the floor.
“I knew I didn’t have any misses, but I didn’t know no one ever did it before,” Zubac said. “Going out there competing every night, teammates looking for me, trusting me with the ball, throwing it to me, and we’re winning, too, so it’s been a lot of fun lately.”
The Spurs (32-46) were eliminated from postseason consideration when they took a 120-109 road loss against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Star big man Victor Wembanyama has been out for the season since mid-February with a blood clot in his shoulder.
Stephon Castle scored 22 points and Devin Vassell added 21 at Portland, where the Spurs were unable to rally from a 33-18 first-quarter hole. San Antonio did pull within two points late in the game before fading.
“Obviously we wanted (Wembanyama) to continue fighting with us to try to make the playoffs, but it happens,” Castle said. “We still have to fight with the five guys we have on the court at all times. It’s not anything to put our head down about or say, ‘What if?'”
San Antonio has lost seven of its past eight games and is heading into the second contest of a four-game road trip before finishing off the season Sunday at home against the Toronto Raptors.
While only two teams have a worse record than San Antonio in the Western Conference, all five in the East who have been eliminated from postseason contention own a worse winning percentage than the Spurs’ .410 mark.
–Field Level Media
