Spurs can’t overcome Clippers’ hot third quarter in 117-122 loss

San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes (24 points) and Stephon Castle (19 points) competed capably in the road loss to LA.

With an enormous tilt carrying crucial playoff implications against the Houston Rockets tomorrow night, the Los Angeles Clippers claimed the tenth of their last 11 matchups against the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night with a dominant third-quarter showing and a sizable advantage in second-chance opportunities. Despite shooting a solid 54% in the first half, San Antonio could only build a five-point lead before giving that up right before the break. The Spurs stayed on LA’s heels throughout the first 2+ quarters — treating the game far more seriously than the expectant playoff squad seemed to prepare themselves for — until the Clippers’ 37-26 third period made a comeback difficult for the visitors.

Despite Los Angeles starting 5-for-6 in the opening minutes, San Antonio averted the dreaded slow start ‘virus’ and stood their ground against the playoff hopefuls behind encouraging balance on the offensive end. Unlike their previous contest in January, Ivica Zubac was not permitted to run roughshod in the paint (well, at least for the opening frame), and San Antonio’s’ 9-0 run spanning the middle part of the stanza allowed them to sneak into the lead. However, the Clippers recovered quickly to retake the advantage — with Blake Wesley’s highlight-worthy drive and dunk pulling San Antonio within two at the end of the first.

With the Clippers repeatedly threatening to create some distance between them and San Antonio, the Spurs kept it a 1-2 possession game for much of the second quarter — even claiming a hold of the lead for several moments behind dogged defense and timely outside shooting. Grizzled veterans Nicolas Batum (LAC) and particularly Harrison Barnes (SAS) hit a flurry of threes between them. Desperately trying to protect the lane from the menacing presence of Zubac, Bismack Biyombo picked up his fourth foul late in the first half, and the Clippers’ announcers mispronounced Sandro Mamukelashvili’s name endlessly. An unfortunate whistle on Keldon Johnson, while contesting Norman Powell’s shot, netted the Clippers’ guard freebies, and the Spurs went into the half down 52-54.

Los Angeles made its first serious push, aided by another hot shooting start (8-8) in the third quarter with Derrick Jones, Jr. converting all of his opportunities at or near the rim to pound the Spurs into submission. Zubac ascended into double-double territory during the run. Barnes’ wing threes were the sole points San Antonio put up over the first five minutes of the frame. Castle nearly stuffed Zubac’s arm into the rim on a dunk attempt and his free throws drew the Spurs within nine. Castle’s inspired play helped fend off another Clippers run, but Bogdan Bogdanovic’s five-point burst put his team up 13 heading into the fourth.

Julian Champagnie had a couple of chances to hit some needed threes to start the fourth, but both attempts fell woefully short. Nearly all of Bogdanovic’s shot attempts — in or out — impressively seemed to touch all parts of the rim. Devin Vassell’s final field goal tonight came on a dispiriting 3-for-8 shooting effort where a handful of his teammates put up more shot attempts Los Angeles kept between an 8-12 point cushion throughout most of the fourth before coasting to victory. Jordan McLaughlin hit two threes and blocked a Bogdanovic shot after the result was decided.

Game notes

• Despite the loss, San Antonio’s effort was commendable. It would’ve been easy for them to fold at the start of both halves to a team that has a lot more to play for, but the good guys showed tons of grit by competing the entire game. It was truly a team effort, and the Spurs got solid contributions from everyone except…
• Devin Vassell. As previously mentioned, the 24-year-old wing only attempted 8 total shots and made just 3, including going 1-5 from deep. It was strange to see such a lethargic performance from him considering how the rest of the team performed, and he was definitely the most disappointing Spurs player on Tuesday night.

Play of the game

This “floater” from Steph is one of the more impressive improvised shots from the season, especially given that he executed it while in the air.

Next game: at Warriors on Wednesday night

The Spurs will have another tough match tomorrow night in The Bay, as they try and play spoiler against another team in the thick of the playoff race.