Clippers earn their Spurs in a key win 122-117

of OSLMS. This is Clippers Talk. Eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty is the phone number if you want to get on or just get in the chat at Clippers Talk on the YouTube side. We're with you for the next forty five minutes. Here. This Clippers team didn't have Kawhilin did a show on that yesterday. I was under the impression that would be wise to not play Kawhi against San Antonio because you could need him for his

full thirty eight plus minutes against Houston tomorrow night. Now Houston may be resting guys because they have the two seed wrapped up. We'll see, but that was my thinking. Yesterday we heard from coach Lou pregame about Kawhi and what the reasoning was why he played the last back to back and why he's not playing this back to back, and it sounded like the difference was they knew after he played on Saturday, the second night of a back to back against Dallas. Here it into a home that

they could get him three days off. They could get him at least two days off, but then you turn it into three and now you play every other day the remainder of the season on tomorrow for Kawhi against Houston, off Thursday, on Friday in Sacramento, off Saturday, on Sunday up in San Francisco gets Golden State, and that is how the playoffs typically go. You're often playing every other day.

So in essence, it might be able to get Kawhi Leonard and even more of a rhythm of what to expect in the playoffs and get his body prepared for that. Clippers currently in the four spot in the Western Conference. Guys, they are in a four way tie where they shoot to the top of it, above Denver, Golden State and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Minnesota Timverwolves dropped to eight after they gave up a thirty nine to eight run in the last ten minutes in Milwaukee tonight to lose that

game to the Bucks. A consequential loss dropped them all the way back into the plane, and that helped catapult the Clippers to the four spot. Currently. My understanding is if the Clippers went out and Denver loses a ballgame, the Clippers will end up as the four seed. At least they would need multiple losses from the Lakers to end up in the three spot. Lakers in Dallas tomorrow night after losing in OKAC tonight where Lukadantis was ejected for talking to a fan. I'm sorry, but that stuff

is soft. I don't know why an official would make that about them. Maybe he said the magic words. I don't know. Uh, I'm not really concerned about it. Go Dallas tomorrow, Go Sacramento Kings tomorrow, where the Denver Nuggets will be Go Clippers tonight, and they did. They would go on to win once twenty two to one seventeen. It wasn't easy, though, there were consequences. Even in a win No. One. Powell had to play forty one minutes to get it finish with twenty five My player to watch.

I thought he would get up at least fifteen shots without Kawhi Leonard. He looked to be in rhythm for the most part. He had nine of his twenty five in the fourth quarter and a huge rebound offensive rebound put back for him. Great to see little hustle plays like that from some of the smalls. James Harden had one of those two. Avitza Zubas had to play almost thirty nine minutes tonight. James Harden had to play almost thirty eight. The Calvary is on the way in Kawhi Leonard.

But some of these guys are definitely gassed and they're gonna need Kawhi to pick him up tomorrow against Houston because San Antonio they just would not go away. I don't even think it's so much the Clippers played poorly San Antonio. The Spurs were hitting shots, and you can go back to the opening quarter of this one, the Clippers went three minutes and ten seconds without scoring a point. The Spurs went on a seven to zero run to go up eighteen to sixteen midway through that first quarter.

After it looked like the Clippers were in control early on, but Stefon Castle hit a three pointer CP three baseline fade away over zoo seven oh Spurs run eighteen sixteen. Clippers ended up missing I think five straight shots turned into a nine zero Spurs run. Got worse for the Clippers. Harden finally had the and one. Those would be their first points over three minutes of going scoreless for the Clippers, but two went hit a three pointer, Hardwin hit a

three pointer. Norm got a reverse layup to go near the end of the first quarter and the Clippers led by just two at twenty eight to twenty six. Couldn't create any distance there then in the second quarter, San Antonio was leading throughout much of it throughout much of that second quarter, and the Clippers got really sloppy with basketball.

There were some self inflicted wounds. They had a runout off a steal on a bogie pass thirty eight thirty six Spurs, another turnover the very next possession, but tomb pass thirty nine thirty eight Spurs. There was a James Harden long outlet passed to Derek Jones Junior that went over his head out of bounds. Just sloppy play from the Clippers. Meanwhile, the Viza Zubats was doing his part out there, but the Clippers had seven turnovers in the

second quarter alone. Norman Powell missed two free throws in the second quarter. Sometimes the wall is that effective. There's some friendly fire because San Antonio chose to go up go up against the wall in the second half, so Norm missed those two free throws going up against the wall. Not that they were cheering against him or anythink. It just happens. The Clippers went five minutes and ten seconds

in the second quarter, scoring four points. At one point it was a thirteen to four Spurs run during that time. The Clippers eventually were able to take control. Near the end of the second dun would hit a three pointer, who has been hot from three as of late, shooting over forty eight percent from the outside his last ten games.

Chris Dunn, as he was two to four in this game from three CP three, would hit a three to respond, though on the second, no one would go to the free throw line, knocked down a couple, and the Clippers eventually went on a nine to two run the last two fifteen to end the half and put themselves up two at fifty four to fifty two, after trailing by as many as five in the first half. Those turnovers were a problem. That's why they couldn't and gain much

separation then. But the other problem was Harrison Barnes. He had thirteen points. He led all scores through the first twenty four minutes. He was three or five from the outside. The Spurs were shooting fifty four percent in the first half. They weren't missing. They were seven of eighteen from three, just like the Clippers. They did have ten turnovers. Meeting the Clippers there pretty much Clippers were nine at the half.

Third quarter, norm Pal started off hot, hit a jumper fifty six to fifty two, Clippers Norm three fifty nine to fifty two. Quick time out, Dunn creates a steal off a deflection on vsell out of bounds in the far side corner. It was an incredible defensive play. Dunn had a few of those in this ballgame. Chris A. Dunn really flex in the defensive muscles with three steals. He is such a special defense. After a zoo floater,

Clippers are on a nine to zero run. Once Hard knocked down a floater two and it's sixty five fifty two. After DJ got in transition for a layup, he would

end up scoring six straight for the Clippers. Another layup going left on CP three, then a hardened lob to DJ, and it's sixty nine to fifty five with six straight points from Derreck Jones Junior, who ended up in this game, gained the start and gained them eighteen points, just one to five from three, but eight to fifteen from the field and was really good with eight of his eighteen

in the third. Done would then cause a back court violation and the Clippers are off to a fifteen to three start in the third where they hit their first eight shots. After a Hard and three pointer made it seventy two to fIF fifty five. The Spurs San Antonio had four turnovers in the first three minutes of the third quarter. Clippers defense came out and was suffocating the Clippers first miss of the third guys. Their first misshot

came in about the seven to forty mark. It was an eighteen to three run before Harrison Barnes of course hit a three pointer after starting eight for eight, though the Clippers would then shoot one for their next eight from the field and san Antonio continued to chip away. Castle almost dunked on Aviza Zubas something fierce Stefan Castle as a stud. He has All Star potential, maybe even in a higher ceiling than that. He's one of the better players in this league. He's likely going to win

Rookie of the Year. He was in the dunk contest and almost had his best dunk of the season on a Viza Zubos. He would end up getting fouled instead. It's seventy eight seventy one Clippers and Bogey hits a baseline fallaway. Some timely shots from bo Don Bogdanovitch, wouldn't you know Zoo offensive rebound and put back eighty two

to seventy one. Dj have put back off his own miss eighty four to seventy one Clippers after only being up by seven, going a six to zero run up thirteen, Castle and one Spurs would battle back again get it to within nine. Castle went to the line, missed the second, but he had nine of his eventual nineteen points in that third quarter. Was getting active. It was eighty six seventy eight Clippers late in the third. Then Bogey hit a three off Norm falling to the ground and making

that pass to him. Champenny missed a layup for the Spurs. On the other end, Nico had a nice tip board bog he Goes left for an easy layup and the Clippers lead heading into the fourth ninety one to seventy eight. Thought that would be it. It looked like Coach Lou was going for the kill shot to start the fourth quarter when Nico hit a three pointer and his lineup was Zuu, Simmons, Bogie, Btoom and Norm keeping Zoo out there.

But then Norm had a turnover Harrison Barnes three man twenty four for Harrison Barnes on eight of ten, shooting six of eight from three. Incredibly, after a Johnson layup, it's a nine point game. They just continued to stay within striking distance. Zuo had a bad turnover to Harrison Barnes, but then Norm would hit a big three pointer and make it one on one to eighty seven. Little bit

of a cushion timeout. San Antonio Basel would hit a three though out of that time out when James Harden came back out onto the floor one on one to ninety Castle and one after a Simmons Ben Simmons bad turnover looking for Norm, Zoo came in for Simmons. Shortly afterwards. Castle then airballed the free throw. Least that's what it looked like from section twenty five. He completely aired the free throw going up against the wall. After an and one, Norm layup going left one oh three to ninety. This

has got to be it, right. Norm had scored their last seven points at that time. In the fourth quarter, Doune comes in for Nico after he got crossed up Mamu Kells Billy ended up hitting a three pointer on that and now you got done Zubots hardened Bogie and pale on the floor. Zoo, after it looked like CP three taking it away, took it back and got a bucket over him. Castle driving dunk on hard and going

baseline one oh five to ninety seven. It's an eight point game, but then a done miss three led to and I think this was one of the most critical shots in the ball game. A done miss three pointer badly led to a Norman pal rebound and put back

that made it a ten point lead. And then Chris Dunwoin hit a three pointer, hardened floater, hardened three pointer, and san Antonio is waving the white flag as the Clippers are up one fifteen to ninety seven after a quick ten to oh run in less than two minutes, Clippers go on to win evel with san Antonio's backups knocking down some three pointers, one twenty two to one seventeen. Hear it into it Dome, Clippers over the Spurs. We'll be right back here tomorrow night. We'll take a quick

time out, we'll come back. We'll get to your phone calls at eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty. I'm at a Mazland and you're listening to the Los Angeles Clippers audio network in the Patriot anbleven fifty.

Justin Russo, who knows everything. You can tell who the new listeners are that don't understand when we're at into it DM, I'm sorry you guys can't hear the callers. When we're back in Burbank, you can. Matt Man and Warren points out from Talking Shit podcast Zoo belongs on an All Defensive team and James D. Harden belongs on an All NBA third team. I think it beats the Zubots. Might have a case for an All NBA third team as well. He's definitely making an All defensive team. I'm

not even worried about that. He's being talked about for Defensive Player of the Year by a lot of the talking heads. Now he may finish top three, it's possible. I don't think he's gonna win it. I think it'll be Dort or Draymond or Evan and Mobile. But maybe Zeus sneaks into being top three. That would be great to see. Who else do we got in here? In the chat? Clippers win only by five. I know, guys, but they were up eighteen with just a few minutes left.

San Antonio was knocking down some crazy shots of this ball game. Tip of the cap to the Spurs. They kept playing hard. Get well, Greg Popovich, the Spurs are completely headed in the right direction, with a situation where they could have sustained success for like a ten year run, maybe seven years. We always overexaggerated run. But they're that good. They're impressive, playing hard out there and pushing the Clippers in this ball game to have to eventually shut the

door with that little ten er run. Maddix said, Adam, can the Clippers get to the finals? In your opinion? I feel like Maddicks asked me this all the time. I feel like you might be a bot, but AI Boston need love to and I'll show some love to them. Sure, with a healthy Kawhi Leonard, they have an opportunity, they

have a puncher's chance, they draw the right matchups. Yeah, I think this Clippers team is good enough with the defense they have shown and how good they've been on the offensive end last seventeen games heading into this one, believe they were first in net rating. At worst they were second. That's contender type stuff, meaning once Kawhi kick

things into gear with looking like Kawhi Leonard again. They have similar advanced metrics to the Thunder, the Celtics, the Calves everybody who's playing well right now, like that's where they've been at bench would out score the Clippers bench fifty two to twenty eight in this one, and the Clippers do win despite the Spurs shooting fifty three percent from the field and forty one percent from three, but the Clippers ended up getting up eight more shots than

San Antonio. That was a big differentiator. Clippers also had sixty points in the paint and nineteen second chance points. Those nineteen second chance points on nine of sixteen shooting there. That was big. That's what I'm talking about with those offensive rebounds, where the Clippers had fourteen of them, crucial. They led by as many as eighteen, and by the way, eight of the fourteen offensive rebounds came from Big Zoo Norn Powell had nine of his game high twenty five

points in the fourth quarter. Clippers had five players score eighteen or more clips were plus sixteen in the rebounding department. Love seeing that statistician Chris Taylor handing me these notes a little bit earlier. Joey Kimball also always helping out if eats a zoubats. His season high in offensive rebounds was ten. And then it happened against San Antonio earlier this season, in the twenty six point comeback here and into a dome, their first victory here at into a dome.

I think they're twenty nine and seven now and into a dome after starting off oh to four. Believe that's the number. Seems good. Seems like a team that could really use home court in the first round, which, hey, three weeks ago, seemed like a pipe dream. They've gotten some other teams to finally fall back a little bit. The Warriors have actually lost a game. Minnesota just lost the game tonight. The Denver Nuggets are three and seven their last ten. The Lakers lost tonight. Memphis had been

losing a little bit more. Some teams have fallen back, and the Clippers are taking advantage of it. Winners of fifteen of eighteen. They've been playing some of the best basketball anybody has all season long at the right time. Last season, when they had that twenty six and five run, it spanned from like the midway point of December through January, maybe a little bit of February, but then they hit the skids after the All Star break, as they did

this season. And then last year Kawhi ended up getting hurt with the knee flaring up. They weren't playing like this heading into the playoffs. They weren't this hot. A lot of people in here saying this is our year. Some people like cap Ross said this season's team is better than last season's team. Zoo and norm have improved hard and is better than orders. The second option Kawhi is Kawhi, and the bench is deeper this season. It's hard to disagree with that. The defense is significantly better.

I think they finished sixteenth in defensive rating last season, their second this season.

I try out to hang on to that stuff because like the twenty three point loss of the Phoenix Suns that never should have happened. You know, maybe because of a loss like that, it fires them up and James Harden to have fifty points the very next game. And that is the line of demarcation, or the point where the Clippers had a turning point in the season. Coach lu was asked about a pregame it's from that point on they played eighteen games and have gone fifteen to

three since that Phoenix loss. So sometimes some of your failures you learn from them because something was exposed in a loss and it actually helps you in the long run. That loss can turn into some victories down the line that you otherwise might not have gotten because of those lessons you learned along the way. The real treasure is the friend we have friends we've made along the way.

I'm not saying I love the losses, and there are some regrettable ones this season, the Pacers big comeback on the Clippers losing both those games against the Lakers in that weekend series at Crypto when they were in both of them. But I'm not gonna look back or go too far down that path. They're in the fourth spot. They can win the next three games and at least guarantee they're out of the plan. Easier said than done. We'll see what happens with Houston tomorrow night. But they

got some guys on the injury list. They may not be going for it now. They clinched that two seed that could be in the Clippers favor, And so is this Kawhi Leonard expected to play, expected to be back tomorrow night. This was a situation where they were keeping him out on the front end of back to back I think wisely. I know a lot of people were saying, no, Kawhi needs to play every game. I said, guys, if they lost to San Antonio without Kawhi Leonard, I wouldn't

come out postgame and say should have played Kawhi. I would have said they blew it. They had enough to win and they found a way to lose the game. So I wouldn't be second guests seeing that decision. I said pregame, I think it's the right decision. If they lose, I'm not saying it's because they didn't have Kawhi. I'm saying this because they didn't play well enough, because they had plenty. They had more than enough to win this game, and they did. One twenty two to one seventeen. Clippers

over the San Antonio Spurs. We'll take a quick time out. We'll come back. Also, postgame quotes for you guys eight seven seven five two zero eleven fifty eight seven seven five to zero eleven fifty amount of Mazzland. And you're listening to Clippers talk here in the Patriot Ame eleven fifty.

In around the three minute mark where they went on that ten ozer run against San Antonio tonight, and the score looks a lot closer than the game actually was. We're up by eighteen. Late in the fourth, san Antonio called off the Dogs and some of their backups knocked down some three pointers on the Clippers. No, morm Pwal did have to play forty one minutes. If viatz zubats thirty nine Harden thirty eight, that's taxing that. You know, san Antonio took some skin off him that can come

back to hurt them against Houston tomorrow. But we're all expecting Kawhi Leonard to be playing in that game. They just held him out of the first game of back to back and it makes sense to do so against San Antonio. As I had said leading into this game, they had lost seven of eight. They don't have much to play for. They still played hard out there. I like the way they competed. But here's what coach Lou said at the half, when the Clippers only led by two.

He told the Clippers this at the half, quote, we're playing for something. We have a chance to do special things. We can't mess round with this game. They went on a run. They led by thirteen, hanging inso the fourth things I think got down to an eight point lead, but then the Clippers eventually got up by eighteen and put them away. Tyleru on into a dome when the Clippers potentially having home court advantage in the playoffs, quote, we have our own building. We don't have to worry

about other banners hanging up. We don't share an arena. This is home. The wall has been great, our fans have been great. We got to continue to keep building on it. Unquote. How special would it be to have home court in the first round of the playoffs in your first season opening up this arena? Hear it into a dome in Inglewood. That would just be incredible. Because the home court advantage is real. Teams are missing free throws at a high rate. Here the wall is working

the dream. The vision of Steve Valmer has been brought to life with this home court advantage the Clippers have. Noran Powell postgame says the Clippers are a championship caliber team. Quote. We have unwavering belief and what we can do and what we can achieve with everybody healthy and everybody playing the brand of basketball we want. I think we can make a deep playoff run and get to the finals and win a championship. I think this is a championship

built team. He's been there, He's seen what it looks like. He won with Kawhi and Toronto in twenty nineteen. Those words have weight. I'm glad to see that the guys are setting the expectations in the bar. Norm Powell said, quote, I think this is a championship built team. Lawrence Frank

did this staying under the first apron. If you didn't know he cooked this summer, if you've been hating on him, if you didn't like the fact that he traded Terrence Man to get Bogie because he struggled at first, how about now did it not make sense? Look at Bogie in this game with nineteen off the bench, seven of eleven shooting two of three from the outside. He is shooting over fifty percent from three his last twenty two games. Vote Don Bogdanovich hits some big points in the fourth

quarter for the Clippers. Coach Lou also said this about the Clippers attacking home court advantage in the playoffs. Quote, We're just taking it one game at a time. From where we come from and now where we're at. From where we come from and now where we're at, we just want to get in. If we are able to get home court, that would be very special, especially with

how we're playing at home. Coach Lou also said this about James Harden, who told him he felt quote stuck in mud in the first half, but eventually got going in the second half. Despite it. James Harden had twelve assists to three turnovers his last two games. He has Good Lord twenty six assists to five turnovers. Going back to Saturday night when he had fourteen assists to two turnovers.

He wasn't the guy turning it over tonight, and it wasn't anybody in particular, but Norm had three, Zuo had two, Nico had two. Uncharacteristically, Jordan Miller had two. At the very end. So really, the Climbers had fifteen turnovers, those two by Jordan Miller at the very end of the game. Inconsequential completely, Clippers went one twenty two to one seventeen over the San Antonio Spurs final time out. We'll come back.

I'll get back into the chat and back to some phone calls here, Mike in La is online, clay Von is online. The problem is, Clayvon, they won't be able to hear you in the chat. You gotta do it. You gotta call in for me when I'm back in Burbank and out into it Dome. I want them all to hear you. You know that. For it up. Then, I'm Adam Maslin, and you're listening to Clippers talk here on the Patriot eight eleven to fifty.

sitting some guys. Clippers didn't play their best tonight. San Antonio had some hot shooting seventeen or forty two from the outside. Harrison Barnes went six of eight from three with twenty four points, and they fought, and I like their competitive spirit, and this is a team that moving forward next season, they could be a top four seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio could be that good. They could have a quick turnaround like that. Carlo I

think brought it up in the pregame show. But they could be next year's Houston. I thought coming into this season the Houston Rockets potential was at best around six or seven. Well, they've exceeded those expectations because their defense was fantastic all year long and their offense has been coming around. They still struggle with their half court offense, but they got athletes. Javari Smith Junior went down. I'm in Thompson kind of ascended after that. Now they're healthy

for the most part, they've been playing well. I don't think any team wants to see them in the first round. And the Clippers are currently in the four spot. So that whole seven to eight playing situation, Yeah, if they could drop a couple of games, they could be right in there. Clippers could be right back in there, I

should say. But today it was the Minnesota Timberwolves giving up a thirty nine to eight run I believe in the fourth quarter in the last ten minutes to Milwaukee and losing that game and sliding all the way down into the eighth spot from that one loss. So it's a reminder, a cautionary tale that you can't slip up this time of the year. They let go of the rope and blew a game they shouldn't have. They were

up big in by twenty four. The Clippers have to be cognizanto that they have to come in with the same fight that we saw in Spurts tonight, but with the same way they've been playing overall since Kawhi came back and has been at this level. That's what I want to see against Houston, for them to continue to build good habits and patterns that are going to translate to the playoffs. But it's also not just about process right now. It is about results. You just have to win, period.

And if the Clippers win the last three, I think it worse. They might be in the fifth spot. Now, somebody's got to crunch the numbers because tiebreakers being involved make this extremely chaotic and convoluted. But I know they need a lot of help with the Lakers losing to get all the way up to three, but four does seem very attainable. My understanding is if Denver loses a game and the Clippers went out, and Denver has three left,

just like the Clippers. Let's say the Nuggets lose Tomorrow night to the Kings and the Clippers went out, I believe they'd be in the four spot at worst, with an outside shot the three. But they're gonna need the Lakers to lose maybe all three, at least two of their last three because they have the tiebreaker over the Clippers. Lakers have Dallas Tomorrow night, Nuggets, and Sacramento. We're rooting for the Kings, We're rooting for the Mavericks there, but

the Clippers have to handle their own business. If Houston is resting guys, and I'll give you the updated injury report as I saw a few guys on it for them earlier, and it makes sense the Lakers losing to Okay. See that told you the Houston Rockets magic number was one a victory or Lakers loss. To wrap up the two spot. Shngon questionable, Javari Smith Junior questionable, fed Van

Vliet doubtful. I'm assuming at least one or two of these guys are not playing tomorrow, so it could be another no excuses game, even though second time been back to back. You got Kawhi back in fresh after three days off. Get them the ball and get out of the way. Let Kawhi cook like he has been. Let him lead you. James, you're a little bit tired. You played thirty eight minutes. Cool, Give it to Kawhi beats the Zubas thirty nine minutes. Give it to Kawhi, Norm

Palette forty one, give it a claw. Let him be the hero. If you're tired tomorrow, you should have plenty in the tank. Then you get a day off. Then you're in Sacramento Friday, get a day off Sunday in San Francisco against Golden State, and yes, it could all. It will all come down to that game. Something will be on the line. I don't know if the winner of that game or the loser will end up in the play in, but something will be on the line

that game against Golden State. On Sunday to close out the season, people were saying the Rockets arresting Clippers will win. Rockets have some guys in a mindset. Also, they're very competitive. In Meo dooka good head coach. They're tough. We'll have your pregame show starting at six thirty, tip off at seven thirty. Outside of Los Angeles. I do want to thank the Clippers. Excuse me, outside of the Los Angeles we were leaving you until then, and you know even

in LA we're leaving you until then. Now, but before we get out of here, I do want to thank the Clippers organization. Ralph Lawler, Brian Seman, Noah Igo, Carlo Jimenez, big brother, Jake Warner, our head engineer here at in to It Dome, Joey Kimball and Chris Taylor are statisticians. Back in the bank. Daniel West, we'll talk to you guys tomorrow at six thirty Clippers and Rockets.