Despite the great Kawhi Leonard (39 points), the Clippers broke down against the Grizzlies

To qualify for the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, Clippers or the Grizzlies absolutely had to win by a wide margin. To put all the odds in their favor, Tyronn Lue’s men start the match with a 9-0 run, but Memphis does not let it fall behind. However, the Clippers stay ahead throughout this first quarter thanks to the duo Kawhi Leonard (39 points on 15/24 shooting) – James Harden (23 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists), but also thanks to the good entry of Nicolas Batum (2 points, 2 blocks, 2 interceptions).

The Frenchman plays five minutes in this first act, and he first appears in defense with two blocks and two interceptions. Then, in the final seconds, he was fouled on a 3-point shot. At the line, the Olympic runner-up made two of three attempts, giving the Clippers a 35-24 lead.

To start the second act, Chris Paul draws from long range while Kawhi Leonard punishes from mid-range. If Memphis experienced a slight surge of pride in the immediate aftermath, Tuomas Iisal’s men could not get back on track. The Clippers therefore maintain the lead and still have the advantage going into the locker room (63-50).

Clippers shooting

After the break, Los Angeles’ offense stalled as Memphis found a skill. With Zach Eddy having 20 rebounds, the Grizzlies gradually recovered and trailed by just one possession entering the final act, thanks to two free throws by Jaren Jackson Jr. (24 points, 9/13 shooting, 3/5 from distance) in the final seconds of the third quarter (81-78).

Buoyed by this momentum, the Grizzlies take their first lead of the game thanks to Cedric Coward, but Chris Paul responds immediately. If Memphis can take a two-possession lead, Kawhi Leonard will make sure to put his team back in front. The All-Star winger went 6-0, but the minutes limit forced him to the bench. Memphis then took advantage of the opportunity to take off thanks to three consecutive winning shots, which increased the gap to eight points (103-95).

Even if Tyronn Lue decides to immediately put Kawhi Leonard back on the floor, the two-time NBA champion fails to bring his team back. The Grizzlies held onto their lead and ended up winning by a score of 112 to 107, pushing the Clippers a bit further, who were now credited with a record of five wins and fourteen losses.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

The new sinking of the Clippers. At halftime, the Clippers conceded just 50 points. At the time, we might have thought that Tyronn Lue’s men had regained some semblance of defense, but that was not the case. As has often been the case this season, the Voiliers sank during the third quarter. This time, they trailed 28-18 twelve minutes into the half. Memphis continues in the fourth act and eventually wins, despite Kawhi Leonard, the author of 39 points, his highest total of the season.

The solution came from the bench. Memphis has one of the best benches in the NBA and that was seen again at this meeting. During the third quarter, Saint Aldama throws down a long shot that brings the Grizzlies back to within four points, but especially in the last act, the Memphis bench carries a lot of weight. Cam Spencer etc Jock Landale chained three winning shots to give the visitors an eight-point lead. A void that the Clippers will not be able to fill despite Kawhi Leonard’s important shot from behind the arc in the final seconds.

Clippers and Grizzlies eliminated from the NBA Cup. One of the two teams had to win by a wide margin to advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup. If the Grizzlies beat the Clippers by five points, it is not enough to be the fourth team to qualify for the West, since at the same time the Suns lost a short head to OKC (119-123) and finished this group stage with a better point difference than Memphis: +31 for the Suns against +14 for the Grizzlies.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = point difference when the player is on the court; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.