LA Clippers keep rolling, defeat San Antonio Spurs 116-111
By Paul Tooke
The LA Clippers defeated the San Antonio Spurs last night by a final score of 116-111, their third straight victory and fifth win of the last six games.
The Clippers picked up their third win in a row last night against the San Antonio Spurs, controlling the game for a majority of the time in a narrow victory. The Clippers are now 9-5, and are just one loss back from the top-seeded Golden State Warriors.
While the game had a close ending, the Clippers maintained control for most of the skirmish. Head Coach Doc Rivers described the game as “gritty win,” which is likely fine with scrappy players Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley, and Montrezl Harrell. All three gentlemen had a great game.
Williams dropped 23 from a number of tough inside baskets, as well as a clutch three when the teams were tied 107-107, with just under a minute on the clock. Thursday’s game marked the seventh time this season that Williams scored at least 20 points in a game.
Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari were the only players to play at least 30 minutes. Harris had a nice stat line of 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Gallinari finished with 19 points, six rebounds and an assist.
Harrell continued to prove his ability to be an efficient option, getting 14 points on 50 percent shooting, six rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes. His defense during the final stretch was a big part of the victory, and has been one of Harrell’s most impressive feats this season.
Speaking of efficiency, the team ended the night shooting 47 percent from the field, 80 percent from the stripe and 34.8 percent from three-point range. It was an efficient effort on offense that kept buckets coming throughout the entire game. Rarely did the LA Clippers offense lack flow or consistency.
It’s important to note that while Williams often stands out for scoring, he hasn’t been overplayed by the team. He hasn’t been the only option for scoring by any means. The Clippers’ wide selection of able-bodied scorers and an active effort on defense from everyone have been important parts of their recent success.
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The LA Clippers will look to continue their winning ways against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday at 3:00 PST. Brooklyn (6-9) has lost three consecutive games, so the Clippers must prepare for an all-out effort from the Nets as they try to turn things around.