Woj: Clippers' Paul George Likely Out 'a Few More Weeks' amid Elbow Injury Recovery
Jan 18, 2022
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 22: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center on December 22, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George will miss at least a few more weeks while continuing to deal with an elbow injury.
George also missed five games earlier this season with a right elbow sprain before the team announced Christmas Day that he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament and would be reevaluated in 3-4 weeks.
The seven-time All-Star has played a large role in L.A.'s success since joining the franchise via trade in 2019. The Clippers had never made the Western Conference Finals before 2021, but George was able to power the team there even without fellow superstar Kawhi Leonard, who suffered a partially torn ACL in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz.
This season has been much of the same for George, who has averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 26 games. He leads the Clippers in points, assists, steals (2.0 per game) and ranks second in rebounds behind Ivica Zubac.
With George sidelined, the Clippers will continue to rely on Terance Mann and Amir Coffey. The team remains without Leonard, who has missed the entire season while recovering from knee surgery.
The Clippers (22-23) have managed to stay afloat in the Western Conference playoff race, currently sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference. If L.A. has any hope of making a deep playoff run this season, it will need George to be healthy.
Paul George Injury Could Dictate LA Clippers' Direction at Trade Deadline
Jan 12, 2022
Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 107-96. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
With a crowded field of teams hovering around .500, plus a rash of injuries and health and safety protocols limiting rosters across the NBA, few sellers have emerged at this early stage of the league's annual trade market. Only the rebuilding Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons have so far communicated clear intentions to recoup draft capital and young prospects ahead of the Feb. 10 deadline.
A seven-game winning streak in early November pushed the Clippers to 8-4 on the young season and a top seed in the early Western Conference playoff picture. Los Angeles has since fallen considerably to 21-21 and into the thick of the play-in tournament field, largely because of Paul George sustaining a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
While the team's initial announcement on Christmas Day stated George would be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks, the Clippers are operating under the possibility that George may not return this season, sources told B/R. And despite the momentum surrounding Kawhi Leonard's rehab from a torn ACL, there remains a healthy dose of skepticism around the league about Leonard retaking the floor in 2021-22 as well.
"He's always played things methodically and cautiously," said one source with knowledge of Leonard's thinking. "I knew he was ahead of schedule [in his rehab], but I wouldn't bet on it. Kawhi is always focused on the long term. If they're not in the playoff picture, I think the chances he comes back are slim to none."
This appears to be a scenario that Lawrence Frank's front office has prepared for dating back to the offseason. With Leonard's injury coming in the second round of last year's playoffs, Clippers brass approached team governor Steve Ballmer about treating this 2021-22 season as more of "a gap year," league sources told B/R, and Ballmer gave his approval to take a page of out of Golden State's recent team-building pamphlet. The so-called "Warriors model," has noticeably entered the lexicon of team executives this season, describing a championship contender's one-year tanking effort to then leap-frog back into the title conversation.
Los Angeles, though, has no top-five pick to accrue this season. Oklahoma City holds the Clippers' unprotected 2022 first-round selection thanks to the blockbuster package that paired George with Leonard in the first place. Yet perhaps under the stewardship of Tyronn Lue's coaching staff, the Clippers can develop their own version of Jordan Poole out of Brandon Boston Jr. or Keon Johnson—fellow rookie Jason Preston has been recovering from foot surgery—after Terance Mann's own step forward in the last year's playoffs.
Lue, sources said, initially rebuffed the concept of muted expectations for this season. When the Clippers broke ground at the site of their new Inglewood arena in September, Lue explicitly informed Ballmer he would be coaching to win games, according to one source with knowledge of the situation. He did not want to divvy playing time based on any concerted youth movement, and there has been no further direction from management to do so.
But George's injury presents Lue and the Clippers with a new reality. Lue has started third-year forward Amir Coffey in four of Los Angeles' past six games. The team was slow to incorporate Boston Jr., whom the Clippers paid $2.5 million to acquire on draft night, but Lue has rewarded the intriguing rookie with a dramatic increase in playing time since December after strong early showings.
Johnson, selected 21st overall, only appeared in five games prior to George's injury, and has averaged just over 10 minutes per game in December and January. As with Boston and 23-year-old reserve center Isaiah Hartenstein, Lue has proven he'll carve opportunities on the merit of performance.
Rival executives have since gathered that Los Angeles is willing to discuss the majority of its veteran roster in trade scenarios. "They're pretty much open for business for anyone except their main guys and Terance Mann. I think they really are fine falling out of the playoffs and regrouping for next year," said one Western Conference official. "I think they're trying to shed the Marcus Morrises of the world, guys that have some value and maybe can replace them with younger talent, maybe cheaper [contracts], to free them to get someone else this summer."
Perhaps Morris could net back the first-round pick that Los Angeles currently lacks. The veteran forward could plug-and-play into a variety of contenders' wing rotations, just as he did when the Clippers first acquired Morris before the 2020 trade deadline. Utah would appear a perfect landing spot, but the Jazz and Clippers' past and future playoff collision course would make any deal there unlikely, in addition to Utah's dearth of draft assets. Maybe the New Orleans Pelicans, still chasing a play-in spot of their own, would cough up a first-rounder to take on a contributing piece such as Morris.
The Clippers moving Serge Ibaka appears to be the most likely trade deadline maneuver for Los Angeles. Shedding Ibaka's $9.7 million salary alone would save the Clippers over $40 million in tax penalties. As noted by ESPN.com's Bobby Marks, the Clippers still have $3.3 million available to send out in a trade this season, and only $3.1 million of Ibaka's salary would remain on his contract this year before he becomes a free agent. Oklahoma City is a trade partner to monitor, league sources said.
Los Angeles has seven second-round picks at its disposal as well. There's a potential path for the Clippers to move Eric Bledsoe to Toronto for Goran Dragic, for example, which would allow Los Angeles to hold Dragic's bird rights entering this summer. That's the type of transaction that a gap-year mentality can afford a front office.
With such a limited field of teams expected to have cap space, perhaps another front office would take on Bledsoe's salary, with only $3.9 million of his $19.3 million salary for next season guaranteed. There's also value for Los Angeles to hold onto Bledsoe. The Clippers pushed back his June 30 guarantee date to July 10, which is four days after the league's moratorium ends, and can provide Los Angeles with some added flexibility for whatever offseason swing any trade deadline tinkering can help set up.
For now, as the Kings and Pelicans, and even the Damian Lillard-less Blazers, still have designs on reaching the postseason, the Clippers' interim slide out of the Western Conference playoff scenario may simply add a few more veteran trade options for the laundry list of buyers around the NBA.
Before Leonard and George push the Clippers back toward the 2023 championship conversation once again.
Kawhi Leonard Rumors: 'Strong' Chance Clippers Star Returns During 2021-22 Season
Jan 7, 2022
FILE - Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard sits on the bench during the first half in Game 6 of the NBA basketball Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns in Los Angeles, in this Wednesday, June 30, 2021, file photo. The biggest question hanging over the Clippers is when Leonard will return. Will he work his way back from knee surgery to repair a partially torn ACL before the end of the regular season? Or for the playoffs? Or remain out until next season?Even he isn't sure. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
There is a "strong possibility" that Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who has been sidelined since suffering a partially torn right ACL during his team's second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz last June, returns to the court this season.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported the news during his TNT sideline reporting duties in the midst of the Clippers at Phoenix Suns game on Thursday (h/t RealGM). He also noted that Leonard is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab.
Haynes also wrote that Leonard has "amped up his workload in recent weeks and is looking stronger and stronger."
Leonard, a five-time All-Star, averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals last season.
The Clippers have struggled without Leonard, going 19-19 this season entering their road matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
L.A. has also missed fellow All-Star Paul George for 13 games and counting, including 12 due to a right elbow injury that was diagnosed as a torn right UCL in late December.
Still, the Clippers have managed to stay afloat in a top-heavy Western Conference.
L.A. entered Thursday only one game behind the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks and four games ahead of the 11th-place Sacramento Kings, who are currently the first team on the outside looking into the play-in tournament picture.
In other words, if the Clippers keep floating around .500 until Leonard gets back, they could be in good shape to make late-season and playoff runs.
At any rate, the Clippers don't appear to be worried about playoff positioning at the moment, per Haynes.
"Multiple players told Yahoo Sports they’re unconcerned about playoff positioning if the team is fully healthy, believing they can take down any team," Haynes said.
Last year's Clippers reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.
They beat the top-seeded Jazz in the second round to get there before falling to the Phoenix Suns in six games sans Leonard, who missed the final two games of the Utah series before sitting out the conference finals entirely.
Clippers HC Tyronn Lue Enters COVID-19 Protocols; Out vs. Raptors
Dec 31, 2021
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 29: Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue gives out direction during against the Boston Celtics in the first half at TD Garden on December 29, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue entered the NBA's health and safety protocols Friday.
Lue will not coach against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. Assistant Brian Shaw will take over as the acting head coach.
Lue is in his second season as head coach of the Clippers, who have an 18-17 record, good for sixth place in the Western Conference.
L.A. is also scheduled to play Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets and Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lue could miss those games as well, although no official announcement has been made.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that the NBA has adjusted its health and safety protocols to be in line with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week.
Per Wojnarowski, NBA team members who test positive for COVID-19 can now exit isolation in five days rather than seven if certain requirements are met.
Every team has been impacted by COVID-19 in recent weeks as the omicron variant spreads.
According to the NBA's official list, three Clippers players are in health and safety protocols: guards Reggie Jackson, Brandon Boston Jr. and Jay Scrubb.
L.A. is coming off a 91-82 win over the Boston Celtics, but the Clips have struggled of late, losing five of their past seven games.
The Clippers made it to the Western Conference Finals last season in Lue's first year at the helm, but the absence of Kawhi Leonard this season because of a torn right ACL has hurt the team.
Still, the Clippers are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. Only six teams in the conference own a record better than .500.
James Harden Posts 39 Points, 15 Assists to Lead Nets to Win over Clippers
Dec 28, 2021
Brooklyn Nets' James Harden, center, shoots from between Los Angeles Clippers' Amir Coffey, left, and Justise Winslow during first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The Brooklyn Nets continued their hot streak Monday, earning a 124-108 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Nets exploded for 71 points in the first half to take a 16-point lead into the break. Los Angeles managed to trim Brooklyn's lead to 10 points midway through the third quarter, but by the time the frame ended, the Clippers' deficit had swelled to 20 points.
L.A. didn't let the contest hover into blowout territory for too long but couldn't string together enough defensive stops to generate much drama in the second half.
The Nets shot 56.8 percent from the field and owned a 74-38 edge in points in the paint.
Brooklyn has now won six of its last seven games to maintain its position atop the Eastern Conference.
The Clippers are headed in the opposite direction, having now dropped five of its last six.
Notable Performers
James Harden, SG, Nets: 39 points (15-25 FG; 4-9 3PT), eight rebounds, 15 assists, two steals
Patty Mills, PG, Nets: 18 points (6-14 FG; 6-13 3PT), three rebounds, two assists, one steal
Marcus Morris Sr., SF, Clippers: 24 points, (6-13 FG; 4-7 3PT), five rebounds, six assists
Eric Bledsoe, SG, Clippers: 15 points (5-12 FG; 3-7 3PT), two rebounds, six assists, one steal
Harden Shoulders Load for Depleted Nets
With the Omicron variant creating a surge in new cases of COVID-19, few NBA teams have been impacted more than the Nets. Brooklyn remains without the services of LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who are in the NBA's health and safety protocols.
Fresh off a 36-point triple-double on Christmas Day in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, James Harden was once again the engine for the Nets offense.
The nine-time All-Star had a sluggish start to the season but appears to be rounding nicely into form. He led the way Monday night as both a scorer and facilitator.
Harden was the kind of singular star the shorthanded Clippers lack at the moment and thus had no answer for.
Just like last night against Denver, the Clippers are facing an opponent with a ravaged roster but still featuring the one guy who can make all of the difference. Just like Jokic last night, James Harden has been so hard to guard, with 22 first-half points to go with 8 assists.
As much as the spotlight shined on Brooklyn's best player, this was a strong collective effort from the Nets. Patty Mills, Nic Claxton and DeAndre' Bembry all supplemented Harden nicely in the starting rotation.
When Brooklyn cruises to a dominant victory without Durant and Irving, it bolsters the team's championship credentials.
Two huge games from James Harden in a row after coming out of the protocols and the Nets are about to move to 23-9 despite dealing with some of the most injuries/protocols/general absences in basketball. The Nets are a special team even beyond their starpower.
Kawhi Leonard is still recovering from ACL surgery and has yet to make his 2021-22 debut. Paul George is out for at least three to four weeks after tearing the UCL in his right elbow. Even though they're still above a play-in tournament position, the Clippers' outlook isn't promising at the moment.
Losses like the one Los Angeles experienced Monday are bound to happen on occasion until George returns.
The extent to which the Clippers were a defensive sieve around the basket was surprising, though. They have held opponents to an NBA-best 58.6 percent shooting on shots inside six feet entering tonight, per NBA.com.
Brooklyn—thanks in part to Harden—though, didn't have much trouble getting what it wanted in the paint.
The Brooklyn Nets are absolutely DESTROYING the Clippers inside of the paint. They're shooting 61% from the field, and look at the reason why. pic.twitter.com/8rXM5tJnOH
When it comes down to it, Nets just HIT the Clippers in the mouth repeatedly. Especially in second quarter, where Nets made all 10 of their shots in the paint while Clippers missed 7 of their 11 inside attempts.
Any improvement from LA tonight will have to start inside.
Marcus Morris Sr. was a standout performer in a losing effort. That provides a sliver of hope given the extent o which he'll have to step up for the next month and change.
imo, if you're the Clippers, no takeaway is more important from tonight no matter what happens with the result than how Marcus Morris Sr. looks. The offense will hinge on him to a sizable degree over the next month.
The Clippers hit the road Wednesday against the Boston Celtics, the first of three straight games away from crypto.com Arena. The Nets begin a three-game homestand Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Clippers' Paul George Has Torn UCL in Elbow; Injury to Be Reevaluated in 3-4 Weeks
Dec 25, 2021
Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) controls the ball during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George has been diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will be reevaluated in three to four weeks.
George sprained elbow on Dec. 6, rested and rehabbed for 2 weeks and returned to play vs. Spurs and Kings this week. After he felt pain, testing revealed tear in ulnar collateral ligament. They'll see how elbow responds to rest in next 3-to-4 weeks before determining next steps. https://t.co/7JezhozHnx
George, 31, has averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game this season.
The six-time All-NBA team member was traded in 2019 to the Clips, where he's teamed up with fellow superstar Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers had never reached the conference finals in their five-decade history before 2021, but that changed thanks largely to George, who averaged 23.3 points and 6.6 rebounds last year.
He also became the team's unquestioned top star when Leonard suffered a partially torn ACL in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the top-seeded Utah Jazz last spring.
Despite the loss of Leonard, George led the Clips to wins in Games 5 and 6 to propel L.A. to the conference finals, where they fought hard against the Phoenix Suns before losing in six.
The 2021-22 season has been more of a struggle for the Clips, who still sport a winning record at 17-15 but are a cut below the West's elite tier featuring the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns.
PG-13 has played well en route to what appears to be another All-Star campaign, however, and L.A. also looks like it will make the play-in tournament at worst.
George missed his first game of the season on Dec. 1 (rest) against the Sacramento Kings. He then missed five straight games beginning Dec. 8 (right elbow contusion) before returning on Dec. 20 versus the San Antonio Spurs.
Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert Power Jazz to Big Win vs. Clippers
Dec 16, 2021
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in action during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The Utah Jazz kept their win streak alive Wednesday, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 124-103 at home for their eighth consecutive victory. Donovan Mitchell was one of four 20-point scorers, finishing with a team-high 27 points as Utah improved to 20-7.
Jordan Clarkson had 21 points off the bench. Bojan Bogdanovic added 20, and Rudy Gobert notched a double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds.
In the first meeting of the season between the two teams, the Jazz were able to get some revenge after the Clippers eliminated them from the playoffs in the Western Conference Semifinals last season. It was also the beginning of a six-game homestand for Utah.
Los Angeles fell to 16-13 and had its four-game win streak snapped. Marcus Morris Sr. had 24 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Eric Bledsoe had 21 points and eight assists off the bench.
Clippers star forward Paul George, who missed the previous three games with an elbow injury, sat out again Wednesday.
Notable Player Stats
G Donovan Mitchell, UTAH: 27 points
G Jordan Clarkson, UTAH: 21 points (off bench)
C Rudy Gobert, UTAH: 20 points, 17 rebounds
F Bojan Bogdanovic, UTAH: 20 points (6-of-7 3-pt FG)
F Marcus Morris Sr., LAC: 24 points, 8 rebounds
G Eric Bledsoe, LAC: 21 points, 8 assists (off bench)
Jazz's Balanced Attack Keys Victory
Utah is one of the deepest teams in the NBA, and Wednesday's game was indicative of just that. Multiple players were key contributors to the team's win.
Clarkson, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, sparked the team off the bench, scoring 14 of his 21 points in the first half to help erase an early seven-point deficit.
Bogdanovic hit his first four three-pointers for 12 first-half points. Gobert matched his first-half total and also did a great job protecting the rim, as usual.
Jazz up 65-59 on the Clippers at the half. Talk about rim protection: the Clippers had ONE layup all half long. 1/5 from within 4 feet of the court. Hot shooting from outside keeping them in it, though.
With the supporting cast playing strong early on, Mitchell was able to take over down the stretch. He scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half with 13 coming in the third quarter alone.
When the Clippers got within single digits of the lead in the fourth quarter, the Jazz didn't flinch and used an 18-6 run to put the game away.
Absolutely showtime from the Jazz to finish this one. The Mitchell passing, the Bogdanovic shooting, the Gobert putback dunk and no-look pass... Jazz up 22 on the bewildered Clippers.
After a 6-5 start to the season, Utah has looked like the team that finished with the best record in the Western Conference last year during this win streak. The Jazz are the hottest team in the league, and it's going to take a strong effort on both ends to cool them off.
Short-Handed Clippers Can't Keep Up with Jazz
Los Angeles should be credited for showing some fight early in Wednesday's game. But without George, there just wasn't a player on the floor capable of carrying the team.
Along with Bledsoe and Morris, Luke Kennard helped keep the Clippers afloat in the early going.
The Clippers had jumped out to a seven-point lead nearly midway through the second quarter, but Utah eventually woke up. The Jazz ended on a 25-12 run to take a 65-59 lead going into halftime.
Los Angeles played hard and did its best to keep the game competitive, but Utah pulled away in the second half and never looked back. The Clippers, to their credit, continued to try to claw their way into the game and cut the lead to single digits, but it just wasn't enough.
The Clippers were facing one of the most complete teams in the NBA as the Jazz are one of two teams in the league to rank in the top five in both scoring offense and scoring defense. Wednesday's game would've been tough for Los Angeles even if George was in the lineup, but without him the team was facing a daunting challenge.
Once Los Angeles is back at full strength, the team will have better luck competing with the top teams in the Western Conference.
What's Next?
The Jazz will go for their ninth straight win on Friday when the San Antonio Spurs come to town. The Clippers will look to bounce back on Saturday in a road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
LeBron James Drops 23 in Return from COVID-19 Protocols as Lakers Fall to Clippers
Dec 4, 2021
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) defends against Los Angeles Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The latest battle for Los Angeles went in the Clippers' favor as they defeated the Lakers 119-115 on Friday at Staples Center.
Clippers forward Paul George had a near triple-double with 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Luke Kennard also had 19 points and hit back-to-back three-pointers late in the fourth to give the Clips a 116-111 lead.
Lakers forward LeBron James, who made his return to the court after missing one game upon entering the health-and-safety protocols, responded with a layup to make this a one-possession game.
Marcus Morris Sr. then nailed a bank-shot three-pointer with seven seconds left to give the Clippers a 119-113 lead and effectively seal the game. He led six Clippers players in double digits with 21 points.
The Clippers improved to 12-11 to snap a three-game losing skid. The 12-12 Lakers' two-game win streak ended with the defeat.
Notable Performances
Clippers F Paul George: 19 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds
Clippers F Luke Kennard: 19 points
Clippers F Marcus Morris Sr.: 21 points
Lakers F LeBron James: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists
Lakers F/C Anthony Davis: 27 points, 10 rebounds
Lakers G Malik Monk: 20 points
Morris, Kennard Lead Clippers to Victory
The Clippers welcomed back George after he sat Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings for rest. His team sorely missed his presence as the Clips lost 124-115.
It was a far different story Friday as George did a little of everything in the victory. His presence and poise clearly helped the Clippers as it broke a nasty skid.
However, it was Morris and Kennard who ultimately willed the Clippers to victory with their timely shooting.
Morris made 6-of-9 three-pointers in the win, while Kennard knocked down 5-of-8 shots. They helped lead a Clippers team that made 16-of-35 three-pointers, which ultimately made the difference in this game.
The Clippers led by as many as 12 points, but the Lakers chipped away at the lead and trailed by just one after Anthony Davis made 1-of-2 free throws to cut the lead to 100-99 with six minutes left.
That's when the threes started falling. Kennard got things going off a dish from Reggie Jackson, who drew in the defense before kicking it out to the lefty:
After a Malik Monk bucket and another Davis free throw cut the lead to one again, Jackson hit a three of his own
From that point forward, it was basically the Morris-and-Kennard show. They combined to score the Clippers' final 13 points, with Kennard getting eight.
It was Morris, however, who went to the bank to seal this win:
The Clippers needed to keep the Lakers at bay all night as the trio of Davis, James and Monk kept the pressure on for four quarters, but Morris and Kennard both responded in kind to lead their team to a much-needed win.
LeBron Fares Well Enough in Return, But Team Defense Falters
This wasn't James' most impressive effort, as he shot just 9-of-23 (2-of-8 from three-point range). However, he could certainly be excused after missing court time this week upon entering the health-and-safety protocols.
He ultimately gave the Lakers 36-plus minutes, amassing 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. He saved his best for last and scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter alone to help the Lakers go blow-for-blow with the scorching-hot Clips.
That scoring surge included this hammer dunk early in the fourth quarter to cut the Clippers' lead to 91-87:
James certainly wasn't the reason why the Lakers lost this game. Rather, their struggling defense reared its ugly head yet again.
L.A. finished first in defensive rating last year, per Basketball-Reference, but that number has dropped to 15th this year. The figure may go even lower after the Clippers game, which featured the Lakers' rivals getting off any shot they wanted.
Keith Smith of Celtics Blog offered his insight:
The Lakers give up so many wide-open shots. The defense should not be this bad. It puts so much stress on the offense to play perfectly.
It didn't help that the Clippers took advantage of their chances, shooting 50.6 percent on the night and nailing 21-of-24 free throws.
Simply put, the Lakers' defense has to be a lot better for them to have any chance at competing for Western Conference supremacy, but as of now, this team looks like it will have enough trouble making the playoffs unless their effort on the back end improves significantly.
What's Next?
The Lakers will stay home to host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET. The Clippers will travel north to face the Kings at Golden 1 Center on Saturday at 10 p.m.
Clippers' Nicolas Batum Reportedly Out at Least 10 Days Because of Safety Protocols
Nov 21, 2021
Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum dribbles during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum will miss at least 10 days after entering the NBA's health and safety protocols, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
The 32-year-old is averaging 9.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists through 14 appearances with the Clippers in the 2021-22 NBA season.
Head coach Tyronn Lue wasn't optimistic about the timeline for Batum's return:
Ty Lue says he isn't sure exact amount of days Nic Batum will be out in health and safety protocols but he's expecting "him to be out [a while]."
The Frenchman's tenure with the Charlotte Hornets came to an underwhelming conclusion. He averaged 3.6 points in 22 games for Charlotte in 2019-20, and the team waived him in November 2020.
Batum quickly landed on his feet with the Clippers and almost immediately became a valuable role player. He has also become an effective floor-spacer, hitting 41.2 percent of his three-pointers over two seasons in L.A.
The Clippers are already playing short-handed in the frontcourt, with Kawhi Leonard continuing to recover from offseason surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. Marcus Morris Sr. also missed Sunday's 97-91 victory over the Dallas Mavericks because of a minor knee issue.
Batum is logging 27.6 minutes a night, so his absence presents Lue with a tactical headache in terms of figuring out who can step up in his place. Even if Morris is good to go Tuesday for a rematch with Dallas, the coaching staff will need to reconfigure the bench to account for his promotion.
If Batum entered the protocols Sunday, then he's set to miss Los Angeles' next four games. His availability for a Dec. 1 matchup with the Sacramento Kings could be in doubt as well.
Staples Center to Be Renamed Crypto.com Arena in $700M, 20-Year Contract
Nov 17, 2021
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 19: Los Angeles Lakers logo at center court during the Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers game on October 19, 2021, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers is set to undergo a name change.
Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported that the Staples Center will be renamed Crypto.com Arena starting Dec. 25. He added that the multiyear naming-rights deal is believed to be the largest for a U.S. venue.
According to CNBC, the contract is for 20 years and worth $ 700 million.
The Staples Center opened on Oct. 17, 1999. In addition to the Lakers and Clippers, it is also the home of the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.
The Staples Center confirmed the impending name change in a press release, formally announcing a partnership between Crypto.com and AEG, the company that owns and operates the arena. The new logo and internal arena signage will be unveiled before the Lakers' Christmas Day game against the Brooklyn Nets. The release states that all external signage is expected to be replaced by June 2022.
Dan Primack of Axios reported that the 20-year naming rights agreement is believed to be worth $700 million. NBA.com writer Mark Medina confirmed that number. Primack noted that SoFi paid over $600 million for 20-year naming rights for the Los Angeles football stadium that is home to the Chargers and the Rams.
Primack added that AEG bought back the naming rights to the arena from Staples in early 2019 and began working on details of a deal with Crypto.com this past summer.
With cryptocurrencies becoming more and more popular, this agreement makes Crypto.com an official cryptocurrency platform partner for the Lakers and the Kings.
