The Clippers didn’t win this time.
The Los Angeles Clippers lost 101-105 against the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2023-2024 NBA regular season at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Dec. 13).
The loss snapped a five-game losing streak for the Clippers (3-6). Four straight since James Harden joined the team. On the other hand, Memphis (2-8), who were last in the league with a 1-8 record before the game, picked up a valuable second win of the season.
The Clippers, who emerged as championship contenders with the addition of James Harden, have faltered since his arrival. They are now desperate for a win, let alone a winning streak.
With the exception of Russell Westbrook (12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists), who is on a minimal salary, only one of the de facto Big Three – James Harden (11 points), Paul George (26 points), and Kawhi Leonard (14 points) – was able to make a name for himself in this game. Harden was unable to break out of his shooting slump, hitting just 1-of-7 3-pointers. 캡틴토토
Memphis, which was without Jarrett Morant, Steven Adams, and Brandon Clarke, was led by Desmond Baines’ 27 points.
The game was dominated by Memphis from the start. Marcus Smart and Jacob Gillard provided outside support, while Jaren Jackson Jr. created inside scoring. After falling behind, the Clippers struggled to keep up with their bench units and finished the first quarter down 20-33.
In the second quarter, the Clippers fought back with George leading the charge. However, after falling behind, Memphis refused to go away. With Bain leading the offense, Memphis regained the upper hand, and the turnovers slowed the Clippers to a 45-52 halftime lead.
With momentum and an even performance, Memphis widened the gap in the third quarter. Memphis maintained a double-digit lead and continued to put pressure on the Clippers, and at one point, the Clippers were down by as many as 15 points before closing out the third quarter with a 68-79 victory.
Facing defeat, the Clippers turned up the heat in the fourth quarter. Sparked by three-pointers from Norman Powell and George, the Clippers set a fast pace and eventually tied the game with six minutes remaining.
From there, it was a tug-of-war between the two teams. In crunch time, Baines stepped up to the plate to help Memphis pull away, and the Clippers, fueled by Norman Powell, quickly followed suit.
In overtime, Memphis’ David Roddy stepped up as a surprise scene-stealer. After a somewhat fortuitous basket to cut the lead to three, Rodney blocked a Harden three-pointer on the ensuing possession. The Clippers didn’t give up until the end, with George getting a free throw on a three-point attempt, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.