Jayson Tatum is unstoppable as the Celtics beat the Clippers 145-108
Los Angeles Clippers #13 Paul George (F) is pulling up for a jump shot. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Los Angeles Clippers have lost back-to-back games and were without Kawhi Leonard (Leg Injury), and poor shooting by Terance Mann (0-10), loss to the Boston Celtics 145-108, who was red-hot behind the three-point line making 25/53 for 78.6 percent.
"We knew it was going to be a challenge, but we didn't want to use it as an excuse," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. "To start the game, I thought we were OK, I think it's 14-12, 16-14, something like that. And then we kind of let the game get away from us with that 3-point barrage.
Paul George would score 21 points to lead the Clippers in scoring, followed by Ivica Zubac with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Daniel Theis with 16 points, James Harden with 14 points, and Brandon Boston Jr. with 13 points.
The Clippers, without Leonard, just didn't have the firepower or the energy level that the Celtics had during the game, made only 11 of 34 shots from behind the three-point line, for 32.4 percent.
Derrick White's three-pointer in front of the Clippers' bench gave the Celtics a 14-12 lead, and head coach Tyronne Lue called a timeout. After the timeout, Harden passed the ball to George for an ally opp layup to tie the game 14-14.
Boston Celtics #0 Jayson Tatum (SF) is dunking on the Los Angeles Clippers #10 Daniel Theis (C). Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
The Clippers would trail 21-17 after Kobe Brown knocked down a three-pointer, and the Celtics called timeout.
Tatum would drive to the basket with a spin move and went up for a two-handed power dunk to give Boston a 23-19 lead. Boston led at the end of the first quarter 28-21.
George had the Clippers trailing 49-38 in the second quarter, and Norman Powell had problems guarding Tatum in foul trouble and had to watch him knock down a three-pointer to give the Celtics a 55-40 lead.
Zubac would score on a tip-in basket that had the Clippers trailing at the end of the second quarter by seventeen points, 68-51.
Los Angeles Clippers #0 Russell Westbrook’s (PG) jump shot from the left side of the basket. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1.
The Celtics led 78-53 in the third quarter after a floater jump shot by Jaylen Brown in the paint. Tatum continued to score at will and made a jump shot to increase Boston's lead to 90-62.
The Clippers trailed at the end of the third quarter 106-81 when Russell Westbrook pulled up for a jump shot.
The Clippers were down 128-98 in the fourth quarter when Terance Mann passed the ball to Theis for a three-point shot with 5:02 left in the game. Boston would go on a 17-10 run, cruising to their 145-108 victory and improving their record to 22-6, and the Clippers now 17-12.
"Hopefully, we will get back healthy, and we just try to see what takeaways from the last two games and go from there," Paul George said.
The other top scorers for the Celtics were Jaylen brown with 24 points, Jrue Holiday with 20 points, Derrick White with 18 points, and Neemais Queta with 14 points 12 rebounds.