Pelicans Clinch With 113-100 Win Over Clippers
- Updated: April 9, 2018
With the playoffs now out of reach, the Los Angeles Clippers were tasked with taking on the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night. The Pelicans sat just one win away from clinching a playoff position.
As if the motivation disparity wasn’t enough to separate the two teams the gap got even bigger prior to tip off. The Clippers would be without guards Austin Rivers and Lou Williams. On top of their other injuries that left Los Angeles with just 9 active players heading into the game. None of which primarily play the point guard position.
That lack of a true point guard will impair ball movement and it was clear from early on that was the case. The Pelicans leaped out to an early lead right out of the opening tip as the Clippers failed to find open shooters and then struggled to find the bottom of the net when they did.
Leading by as many as 13 in the first, New Orleans gave a little back to Los Angeles and the game actually saw a lead change in the second quarter. The Clippers lead didn’t last long and once it was gone it never returned. Anthony Davis went on a tear in the second half. Davis finished with a game-high 28 points 5 blocks and 6 rebounds. Not to mention 1 incredible highlight that is sure to be featured all over reels for quite some time.
Rondo and AD are trying to bring back the AND1 Mixtape Tour pic.twitter.com/bwPlVL3p0d
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 10, 2018
While Davis and his Pelicans were running away with the game the Clippers were able to do exactly what’s needed at this point in the season, get the young guys valuable minutes. Coming off the bench, rookie Sindarius Thornwell put in arguably the best performance of the night with a team/career-high 20 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks. Including an impressive swat on the brow himself and a highlight that rivals the one Davis put up earlier in the contest.
😱😱😱
Sindarius. Thornwell.#ItTakesEverything pic.twitter.com/ryHOZqRwtF
— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2018
For the other youthful Clippers, things did not go as smoothly. The newly signed CJ Williams got off to a great start with 8 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist in the first quarter. However he ended the game with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. A player many fans hope sticks around, Tyrone Wallace, had one of his roughest games so far. Wallace went 5-15 from the field while managing just 10 points in 37 minutes.
Motivation may have played a factor, but at the end of the day overall talent is what led the New Orleans Pelicans to a runaway 113-100 victory in Los Angeles.
With just one game remaining against the in house Lakers on Wednesday getting some of the younger Clippers playing time is all that matter for the team right now. Next season is on the horizon.
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