LA Clippers defeat first seed Toronto Raptors
By Paul Tooke
On Sunday, the Eastern Conference powerhouse Toronto Raptors couldn’t defeat the 13th seed LA Clippers. The final score was 117 to 106, and now we’re left guessing whether or not the Clippers’ future holds a playoffs run.
How did the Clippers win?
Leading Raptors scorer DeMar DeRozan can drop 30 or 40 on any given night, but that was not the case in this game. The Clippers’ defense held him to just 11 points on 3/12 shooting. Kyle Lowry can get down with the most physical of point guards and achieve triple-doubles just as he did against the Nets in the Raptors game before this one. Once again, the Clippers’ defense was able to prevent a Raptors star from going off, as Lowry was held to 11 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds.
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Was it a near triple-double performance for Lowry? Yes. But that stat line has been nearly averaged by the so-called “bust” Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers. Bottom line, the Clippers were able to contain the backcourt duo of DeRozan and Lowry, which led to their victory.
As far as offense is concerned, Tobias Harris, Lou Williams, and Montrezl Harrell led the Clippers with 20 (Harris), 26 (Willams), and 19 (Harrell) points respectively. In roster controlled by injuries and trades all season long, those three gentlemen have chosen to step up for the team night in and night out. Despite the 2017-2018 makeover the Clips have received, they have found ways to get buckets on offense and somehow hold a positive record at 39-34. This win against the 54-20 Raptors was just another example of the Western Conference’s power over the East.
What’s next for the Clippers?
The Clippers will face the 39-34 Bucks tonight at Staples Center. LA currently has the 10th seed with just nine games left in the regular season. Victories are an absolute necessity if the Clippers wish to make the playoffs for the 7th season in a row despite missing former stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.