Without Paul George, Clippers fall to Pelicans in play-in game and will miss playoffs

It was uncomfortable.

It was raucous.

It was 96 decibels of unbridled pleasure and audible concern.

It was a 16-point first-half Clippers deficit, a 13-point lead simply 19 minutes later, a sport they performed with out their main scorer and the NBA’s most correct three-point shooter.

It was the one applicable plot for Friday to comply with, a must-win play-in sport that distilled 84 Clippers video games of short-handed rosters, beautiful rallies and down-to-the-end finishes into 48 minutes.

And it was the tip, a 105-101 determination claimed forcefully by New Orleans within the ultimate minutes of the play-in match. Contemplating the Clippers’ penchant for wriggling out of not possible holes on their approach to 13 comeback victories after trailing by double digits, actuality of the tip didn’t appear to set in inside Crypto.com Enviornment as Reggie Jackson and his teammates left the ground, chants of their names nonetheless trailing them.

Three days after dropping a 10-point lead within the fourth quarter at Minnesota to blow their first alternative to assert a playoff berth, the Clippers noticed their 13-point lead with 10 minutes to play, and the eighth and ultimate playoff berth within the West, slip away as fatigue, missed free throws and poor rebounding took their toll.

“We spent numerous vitality,” ahead Nicolas Batum mentioned. “We stopped shifting, rebounding, communication.”

Jackson and Marcus Morris Sr. every scored 27 factors to guide the Clippers, who have been outrebounded by 9 and outscored by seven on second-chance factors when the small-ball lineups they used your entire second half ultimately grew drained. The offensive rebounds they allowed have been their Achilles’ heel all season and contributed to the tip of it. But it surely wasn’t the one issue.

When Norman Powell missed a free throw with 16.9 seconds left and the Clippers trailing 103-100, it was their twelfth missed free throw. They completed 22 for 34. He then made the second to drag inside two, however a dunk by Jonas Valanciunas pushed their deficit to 4.

Out of a ultimate timeout, the place the injured Kawhi Leonard clapped all through, the Clippers had two ultimate probabilities, however Jackson and Morris missed three-pointers. Coach Tyronn Lue, who by no means had missed the playoffs as an assistant or coach, referred to as it odd to now be on the surface trying in.

“It’s been an unbelievable season for our guys and all the pieces we needed to undergo,” Lue mentioned. “Powerful scenario tonight, ending the best way it did. For the blokes within the locker room, scrapping and the best way we competed all 12 months lengthy … it’s most disappointing for these guys within the locker room who fought and clawed all 12 months.”

Brandon Ingram scored 30 factors to guide New Orleans, which is able to open its first-round sequence towards top-seeded Phoenix on Sunday. CJ McCollum added 19 factors however was harassed after his environment friendly first quarter, making simply 9 of 24 pictures.

“It felt prefer it was trending in the fitting route for us,” Morris mentioned, that means the sport but in addition the season.

The Pelicans unfurled a 14-1 fourth-quarter run to tie the rating on a McCollum three-pointer with seven minutes remaining earlier than Jackson made a floating jumper, however with Lue taking part in solely six gamers within the second half, the Clippers’ shot choice started to battle.

It was a irritating end to a disappointing day.

Lue awoke to 2 missed calls Friday morning and discovered the Clippers’ main scorer, Paul George, had entered the NBA’s well being and security protocols.

“Disappointing information,” the coach mentioned.

However not stunning.

“It sucked,” Jackson mentioned, “but it surely’s one thing we needed to cope with all 12 months.”

Between Leonard’s season-long absence, George’s damage elbow, different accidents and a wave of COVID-related absences, Clippers gamers missed 385 whole video games throughout the common season. Tweaking a sport plan solely hours earlier than tipoff sometimes could be startling. So would have been the compounded lack of Luke Kennard, the NBA’s most correct three-point shooter.

Clippers ahead Robert Covington (23) battles Pelicans ahead Brandon Ingram (14) for a rebound Friday evening at Crypto.com Enviornment.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Occasions)

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However Lue grabbed heart Ivica Zubac earlier than halftime ended and advised him he’d play small ball. He didn’t assume it might final your entire second half, however when the Clippers outscored New Orleans by 20 within the third quarter, he rolled with an all-wings lineup that confirmed why they nearly assuredly will probably be put in as one of many betting favorites to win the 2023 NBA title.

Morris mentioned the crew would want a backup level guard to make them a respectable title contender. Batum, who has a participant possibility for subsequent season, spoke of getting “enjoyable subsequent 12 months,” however shook his head when requested if he’d thought-about what he would do.

“This crew might be fairly particular,” Lue mentioned, “but it surely’s all about well being.”