LOS ANGELES — The plan sounded simple. To keep the Boston Celtics’ duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown away from the perimeter all the Clippers had to do was close them out, run them off the 3-point line and be ready to block out on the backside.
In other words, defend and defend some more.
“It’s definitely going to be a multiple-effort night defensively,” Coach Tyronn Lue said. “If we don’t have multiple efforts, it could be a tough night for us.”
Lue got that and more.
The Celtics, behind the pinpoint shooting of Tatum and Brown, came into the game averaging 39.7% from behind the arc making any given night difficult for opponents. Even Lue said the two cause opponents to focus their energies on stopping them.
“It’s tough. Jaylen is playing at a high level and Tatum’s playing at the MVP level,” Lue said. “Best duo in the league.”
On Monday, however, they weren’t necessarily the best duo on the floor. That distinction belonged to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The two Clippers stars combined for 51 points and 15 rebounds in a 113-93 victory at Crypto.com Arena.
George finished with 26 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Leonard had a season-high 25 points on 10-for-12 shooting to go with nine rebounds and six assists.
This is what Lue and Clippers fans have been waiting 28 games to see. Both stars healthy. Both of them on the court at the same time. Both moving well. Both scoring and both coming up big against the league’s best team.
The Celtics (21-7) came into the game with the best offensive rating in the league (121.0), the highest in NBA history, and with two players who were combining to average 56.8 points per game. The only other teammates in recent NBA history to rate higher were Shaquille O’Neal with Kobe Bryant (2000-01 and 2002-03) and James Harden with Russell Westbrook in Houston (1999-2000).
Tatum scored 20 points and Brown had 21; combined they made just 3 of 14 3-point attempts. As a team, the Celtics shot 9 for 36 (23.1%) from behind the arc, while the Clippers made 10 of 25 (40%).
“We know Kawhi and we know he is a gamer,” Lue said. “So the No. 1 team in the league is coming into your building and you have two dynamic players that are playing well, he’s up for that challenge.
“So, we knew it was going to be a big game for him. I really felt comfortable with this game coming into tonight and our guys, we rose to the challenge.”
Leonard, who has played in just eight games this season, explained his performance this way: “I made shots. That’s it. Shots went in. Shot 12 times, ball went in more than I missed.”
George had a little more to say about how well his teammate played, saying that Leonard, who is still on a minutes restriction, appears to have reached midseason form.
“It’s the same Kawhi,” Goerge said. “I think he’s just playing more, he’s getting more reps. I think up to this point, he’s played his warm-up games, his preparation games to get him to this point.
“I think more than anything, he’s just more aware of his minutes and being on a minute restriction that with the minutes that he do have, he’s going to use them and make them count.”
The hundreds of green-clad Celtics fans who came to Monday’s game no doubt were hoping to watch their team demolish the Clippers. But the Clippers (16-13) had won the previous two games against Boston, both close contests.
This wasn’t close.
The Clippers led by as many as 24 points (104-80) on a 12-foot jump shot by Leonard with 6:37 left, following a 24-foot 3-pointer less than a minute earlier. The Clippers didn’t let up. Luke Kennard, who had watched his 3-point shots falter as of late, was 2 for 5 from long range and finished with 12 points.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 13 points and John Wall had six points and four assists. Terance Mann contributed nine points and seven rebounds.
More important, perhaps, is the way the Clippers were able to keep the Celtics off the perimeter.
“I thought we did a good job of just attacking the matchups we wanted to attack,” Lue said.
They became the first team to hold the Celtics under 100 points this season.
“We did a great job pretty much across the whole board,” George said.
The Clippers stretched a nine-point halftime lead to 71-57 on a layup by center Ivica Zubac off an assist from Leonard with 6:27 left in the third quarter.
Zubac had been listed as questionable earlier in the day because of a strained groin muscle he tweaked during Saturday’s game against Washington. But his struggles Monday weren’t so much because of his injury but four early fouls. He finished with four points and three rebounds in 17 minutes.
The Celtics, who lost consecutive games for only the second time this season, had trouble hitting from outside early on, landing just three long-range shots in the first quarter and six for the half. Instead, they took advantage of the Clippers’ small lineup for easier layups. Zubac was called for two quick fouls and sat as Boston erased a 12-point deficit in the second quarter.
Zubac returned briefly late in the second but went back to the bench after picking up his third foul. But the Clippers didn’t lose focus without their big man. They continued to slow Brown and Tatum, who weren’t as much of a factor as the Clippers scrapped together a 56-47 halftime lead.
NOTES
A moment of silence was held for former NBA standout Paul Silas who died Sunday. He coached the Clippers for three seasons (1980-83) and played for the Celtics (1973-76). …. Lue said Norman Powell (groin) is progressing in his rehabilitation, but there is no date for his return. … Former Clipper Blake Griffin started in place of Al Horford (personal reasons). He picked up a technical foul in the second quarter for grabbing the net. … The Clippers next host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday in the second of five straight home games.
Kawhi and PG-13 were ballin’ in the @LAClippers W tonight! #ClipperNation@kawhileonard: 25 PTS (10-12 FGM), 9 REB, 6 AST@Yg_Trece: 26 PTS, 6 REB pic.twitter.com/ko496PuszQ
— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2022
“We know Kawhi, and we know he’s a gamer… the #1 team in the league is coming into your building… he’s up for that challenge.”
Coach Ty Lue knew Kawhi was going to have a big game tonight. pic.twitter.com/YGS7YSgCwC
— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2022
Kawhi has eyes in the back of his head ????#PhantomCam pic.twitter.com/e5wloxLu2p
— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2022
“Uhhh no” ????
-Kawhi Leonard @LAClippers | #ClippersLive pic.twitter.com/gQVhdJjPSx— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 13, 2022
The DENIAL by Terance Mann turns into a Luke Kennard triple on the other end!
The @LAClippers lead in Q4 on the NBA App
???? https://t.co/WjxYAo0Ivs pic.twitter.com/8SALqoF5M7— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2022
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here