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SAN ANTONIO — The Clippers are blown out to end the year by the San Antonio Spurs 122-86 on Tuesday night. This loss ended Los Angeles’ three-game winning streak. The Clippers are now 19-14 after the win and will enjoy a day off before traveling to play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
Here are some takeaways from the Clippers loss to the Spurs:
They just didn’t have it
The Clippers came out flat from the jump in this game. The team just seemed not to have it tonight.
Los Angles ended the first quarter trailing San Antonio 31-17 and was outscored in each quarter by at least six points.
They couldn’t knock down shots and couldn’t get a stop on the other end.
In a 82-game season some nights you just don’t have it. Kudos to the C Warriors 73-win season because games like tonight for Los Angeles in a long season are sometime inevitable.
Too much Wemby for the Clips
Victor Wembanyama dominated the Clippers in ever way he could on Tuesday night.
He finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.
On a night where the Clippers just didn’t have their best. Going up against Wemby meant it was going to be a long night and it was exactly that.
He scored at the rim, from mid-range and even knocked down a 3. He got to the line and got his teammates involved as well.
On the defensive end it made it tough for Los Angeles to score at the rim. Not only did he collect three blocks but he altered a lot of the Clippers shots in the paint.
He is truly a special player and tonight the Clippers had no answer for him.
New year, new hope
Tomorrow is the start of a brand new year and the Clippers are hoping it ends up the franchise’s best ever.
Los Angeles has surprised a lot of the basketball world with their performance so far without superstar Kawhi Leonard.
Their 19-14 start puts them in prime position to be a team that can end the season in the top four in the Western Conference standings if Leonard returns soon and can play like the All Star he is.
His impact if meshed well with the play of the team so far this season can make the Clippers true contenders going forward.
So let’s hope that Leonard will be ready to go and won’t hinder the play of the team but will take them to another level.