LOS ANGELES — Clippers coach Tyronn Lue called it a mental game, a contest that would not only test his players’ weary legs but their focus, challenges that proved too difficult to overcome.
The Clippers faced the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night for their eighth game in 14 days and the effects of a long road trip showed. There were 18 turnovers, 43 missed shots, too many bad passes and not enough production from their stars, resulting in a lackluster 117-106 loss at Crypto.com Arena – just their sixth loss in 32 games since the start of December.
From the onset, the Clippers seemed off-kilter. All-Star Paul George didn’t score his first point – a technical foul free throw – until three minutes had elapsed in the third quarter and his first basket 29 seconds later. He scored seven points on 3-of-15 shooting, going 0 for 8 from 3-point range, and had one rebound and four assists.
Fellow All-Star Kawhi Leonard didn’t reach double figures until the second half, finishing with a modest 15 points on 4-of-10 shooting, while Russell Westbrook lacked his usual energy off the bench and finished with four points, four assists and three rebounds.
Even James Harden didn’t play with his usual pass-first efficiency and left the game with a team-high 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Norman Powell had 18 points off the bench and Ivica Zubac contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.
The Clippers – who had moved atop the Western Conference standings (by percentage points) when Minnesota and Oklahoma City lost on Tuesday night – managed to get their head into the game in the final quarter, quickly cutting a 10-point deficit in half at 79-74 on a 3-pointer by Amir Coffey and a 2-foot toss by back-up center Mason Plumlee.
With four starters on the bench, the Clippers continued to keep the margin close, pulling within 84-80 on a 3-pointer by Harden. But their efforts were undone by a lack of stops at the other end as the Pelicans ran off…
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