No. 3 LA Clipper who needs to have a big Game 5 with Kawhi Leonard out: Terance Mann
Terance Mann is going to have a huge chance to shine for the LA Clippers with no Kawhi Leonard in the picture.
Mann has risen to this type of challenge before. It was just ten days ago when Mann had his 39-point explosion in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. He made 7 out of 10 threes, and 15 of 21 field goals in general.
It’s unrealistic to expect this of the second-year man out of Florida State, but if he does have another performance like that tonight, the Clippers will be in great shape.
What needs to be understood is how close these games have been. Last game was decided by four points. Mann had 12 points, which tied his series-high.
He doesn’t need to be at that 39-point level, but if he can just raise his game to what it’s been this series, it’ll make a huge difference. Even if he could just toss out a couple more assists (he had zero in Game 4), it could easily change the course of the game.
This series he’s averaged 10.3 points per game, and one assist per game. Asking Mann to be Leonard isn’t realistic, but asking him to be more consistent is. Even when he didn’t start Game 4, he still played 33 minutes.
He plays a similar position to Leonard, and needs to deliver in that spot more than what he has, even though he’s shown impressive and exciting improvement this season.
All in all, the Clippers roster as a whole is going to need to step up. These three Clippers in particular, however, have something to prove, and Clipper fans know they can get it done.