Clippers Curse Continues As Blazers Tie Series
- Updated: April 25, 2016
The Los Angeles Clippers went into the Moda Center on Monday night hoping to come away with a 3-1 series lead. Instead, not only did they lose 98-84 with the series now levelled at 2-2, but All-Star point guard Chris Paul suffered a broken hand while Blake Griffin’s quad injury was again a problem in the loss.
But that wasn’t all. J.J. Redick’s heel injury (which, not long ago was the Clippers biggest injury concern) continued to hinder his movement while DeAndre Jordan rolled an ankle in a game where the team shot just 35% from the field, 28% from behind the arc and 60% at the free throw line.
It was arguably – and probably – the worst game of the season for the Clippers in all facets.
The team started poorly on offense with no one not named Chris Paul able to hit a field goal for over 10 minutes of play. Defensively, they were lazy, missing rotations which fortunately didn’t prove too costly as the Blazers missed a few open shots to keep the game within single digits through the first quarter. Former Clipper Al-Farouq Aminu – who had a career high 30 points (6-10 3FG) – scored 10 of the Blazers first 14 points while Paul hit the first 12 for the Clippers.
Despite more poor shooting, the Clippers managed to stay within striking distance of the home side as they missed 14 of 15 shots at one stage in the opening half before C.J. McCollum hit a triple to complete a 5-0 run to give them an eight point lead nearing half time.
Griffin and Redick hit their first respective field goals with under five minutes left in the half to respond for the Clippers as they trailed 47-43 at halftime.
The Clippers shot a dismal FOUR FOR FIFTEEN (26%) at the rim in the opening half in a game where many were wondering if this was a post or pre-season game.
The Blazers’ 12 turnovers in the opening half left the door ajar for the Clippers however shots were simply not falling for the boys from L.A.
Redick missed two wide open threes on one end as the Blazers went up the other to see Aminu drain a corner three – one guy shot 36% while the other shot 47.5% from deep this season, guess which one? – in a six point swing in the Blazers favour and this was just prior to the carnage beginning for the Clippers.
First, Jordan rolled an ankle following a blocked shot – which he would later run off – before Clipper hearts broke at the sound of Paul’s third metacarpal breaking on his right hand on a strip of Gerald Henderson.
Paul almost immediately checked himself out of the game, visibly frustrated, kicking a chair cushion on his way to the locker room with team trainer Jasen Powell where Blake Griffin would soon join him as his quad injury flared up again. Griffin would return, albeit with a limp as the Clippers trailed by just two points after three-quarters following a Jeff Green triple at the buzzer however the inevitable finally came for the Clippers as the Blazers poured in 32 points in the final term to take the win and the series back to L.A.
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