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LOS ANGELES — And Tyronn Lue talked astir being frustrated before the game.
Just astir everything was a conflict for his Clippers connected Monday, erstwhile they made their last crippled astatine Staples Center arsenic Staples Center (it volition officially beryllium Crypto.com Arena erstwhile the Clippers big Denver connected Dec. 26) 1 to forget.
The 116-92 nonaccomplishment to the San Antonio Spurs (12-18) spoiled the instrumentality of All-Star Paul George and the festive quality of the pre-Christmas matter earlier a afloat location of 18,096.
The Clippers welcomed backmost George and Serge Ibaka to the lineup connected Monday, some of whom played their archetypal crippled since Dec. 6. George had been sidelined by a close elbow sprain, Ibaka due to the fact that Lue dedicated each of his backup halfway minutes to Isaiah Hartenstein, leaving the seasoned Ibaka arsenic the unusual large antheral out.
George, sporting freshly shorn hairsbreadth reminiscent of his pre-Clippers seasons, finished with 25 points (right connected his play average) connected 8-for-18 shooting successful 31 minutes. Ibaka finished with 4 points and 8 rebounds successful 21 minutes disconnected the bench.
The Clippers went 3-2 without George, but they came into Monday having mislaid 2 successful a row.
And inactive they remained short-handed, taking connected the Spurs without Marcus Morris Sr., who entered the COVD-19 wellness and information protocols connected Saturday having scored astatine slightest 20 points successful 5 of his erstwhile 7 games.
They besides missed Hartenstein, who suffered a sprained near ankle precocious successful the Clippers’ nonaccomplishment to Oklahoma City connected Saturday. And prima helping Kawhi Leonard (ACL) and rookie defender Jason Preston (foot) person yet to play this season.
Lue, who preaches adaptability often, admitted earlier Monday’s crippled that having truthful galore players successful and retired of the lineup this play has been frustrating.
“You can’t get a bushed of however we privation to play with each of our guys here,” Lue said. “But everyone’s dealing with the aforesaid happening … it is what it is, talked astir the past 2 years conscionable being capable to accommodate and we’ve done that, but it is frustrating.”
The Clippers were each the mode retired of sorts against Dejounte Murray and crew.
The Spurs’ young prima had a 24-point triple-double (13 assists, 12 rebounds) to pb each 5 starters successful treble figures arsenic San Antonio changeable a comparatively lukewarm 43.9% from the tract and 32.4% from 3-point range. The visitors dominated the Clippers (16-15) connected the boards, 67-43 (including 23-9 connected the violative glass, the astir Lue’s squad has allowed this season), and finished with a decisive vantage successful second-chance points (27-5).
The Spurs besides punished the Clippers successful the paint, 68-44, and turned the Clippers’ 14 turnovers into 12 points. The Clippers, meanwhile, scored lone 3 points disconnected the Spurs’ 12 giveaways.
It wasn’t astatine each the bounceback the Clippers sought aft losing a heartbreaker to the Thunder connected Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer connected Saturday.
Instead, it was San Antonio that rebounded resolutely, playing Monday successful the 2nd crippled of a back-to-back aft its 121-114 nonaccomplishment successful Sacramento connected Sunday.
The Spurs led 62-48 astatine halftime, aft Murray had 17 points connected 7-for-11 shooting, including making each 3 of his 3-point attempts. He besides had 5 rebounds and six assists earlier the intermission.
George went into the interruption with 12 points successful 16 minutes and Jackson had 10 for the Clippers, who changeable conscionable 39.6% and were being outrebounded 36-25 successful the archetypal half.
San Antonio’s pb ballooned to 27 entering the 4th fourth aft they outscored the Clippers 30-17 successful the third.
Ivica Zubac finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers, Terance Mann had 11 and Reggie Jackson scored 10 points connected 4-for-12 shooting successful 20 minutes.
Jakob Poeltl added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, portion Doug McDermott scored 16 points.
More to travel connected this story.
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