The LA Clippers defeated the short-handed Grizzlies last night with a final score of 113-96.
The LA Clippers defeated the short-handed Grizzlies last night, 113-96. Memphis started the game without Mike Conley, Avery Bradley, Joakim Noah, Kyle Anderson, Jaren Jackson Jr., C.J. Miles, and Dillon Brooks. In addition to those absences, Jonas Valanciunas left the court with an ankle injury and did not return. Delon Wright had the best performance for the Grizzlies, finishing with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and a block.
The Clippers outscored their opponent in every quarter until the fourth. Their success on offense was the result of an overall team effort. The team shot 48 percent from the field with five players scoring double digits. The Clippers also showed out on the defensive, playing aggressive defense and crashing the glass on both ends of the court. LA’s guards are becoming more comfortable with transition plays, making long passes to bigger players for inside shots.
The Clippers’ two standout performances came from Danilo Gallinari (27 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists) and Montrezl Harrell (20 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 block). Harrell drained 10 of his 11 free throws, despite him sitting at 64.5 percent for the season. Should Harrell continue to execute at the charity stripe, his overall improvement this season will become even more evident. Rookie guard Landry Shamet had his 19th start for the Clippers this season but shot a lackluster 1/9 from the field. Seven of his shots were from beyond the arch. Despite this poor performance, Shamet is tied for 8th all-time three’s by a rookie (156 buckets).
This victory contributed to the Clippers finishing with the NBA’s best team record for March. Fans and analysts now wonder if the team can finish the season with 50 wins. Their final four games are against the Rockets, Lakers, Warriors, and Jazz in that order. A 50-win season with no current or former All-Stars on the roster will further support Doc Rivers’ case for the NBA Coach of the Year award.
The Clippers have tonight and tomorrow off before facing the Houston Rockets as both teams try to shore up their playoff seeding in the Western Conference.