The LA Clippers left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth with the loss on Sunday afternoon. Sure, it’s just one game and the team’s issues are being way, way overblown but a loss still stings, especially when they were competitive the whole afternoon.
On Tuesday night, they get a chance to redeem themselves as they visit a struggling Boston Celtics team.
The LA Clippers will have a perfect opportunity to bounce back versus Boston.
In another nationally televised game, the Clippers are given an opportunity to show that Sunday’s game wasn’t something that should be thought about for too long. It helps that the Celtics will possibly be without All-Star Jaylen Brown, who is listed as questionable along with Marcus Smart, who is expected to be out until after the All-Star break.
The Celtics have lost four of their last seven games and barely scraped by the Washington Wizards on Sunday and sit at just 17-17. Despite amazing play from both of their young wings (Brown and Jayson Tatum), the Celtics haven’t gotten much production elsewhere. When they do though, they can be a dangerous team.
We have to look no further than back on February 5 when these two teams met for the first time this season. Brown was not available in that game either but Tatum dropped 34 points while Kemba Walker added in 24. Four other Celtics scored in double-digits and the Clippers (who were without Paul George) could not overcome them.
George obviously should be a huge difference-maker tonight. He’s been playing at an extremely high level, making the All-Star team again this season. He shot poorly in Sunday’s game, making just seven of his 21 attempts from the field. Ten of those were from deep, where he connected only on a pair. If Brown isn’t able to suit up, the Celtics will have trouble stopping George (as well as Leonard), especially if he looks to atone for his previous performance.
The LA Clippers are 10-1 following losses this season and there’s no reason to think they won’t add to that win column tonight.