L.A. Clippers “deny guy” in the middle, DeAndre Jordan was runner-up to San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard for NBA Defensive Player of the Year but Tuesday night at Staples Center, Jordan turned out to be the Spurs best defensive weapon.
On the last play of the game, with San Antonio clinging to a 108-107 lead with 6 seconds left, Blake Griffin drove down the lane, tossed up a floater that danced softly on the rim, bounced around, then just as it looked like Griffin’s shot would bounce in and give L.A. a 1 point lead, Jordan went up over Tony Parker and tipped the ball in.
Refs ruled offensive goaltending. Replay confirmed the call, Griffin’s potential game-winning floater was never given a chance to bounce in!
Even 39 year old Tim Duncan needs some help sometimes. TD went for 21 points, 11 rebounds in Tuesday night’s huge Game 5 win in LA, giving the defending world champ a 3 to 2 game lead with Game 6 coming up Thursday night in San Antonio. (Where Spurs are 14-4 in closeout games since Gregg Popovich arrived.)
As Clippers/Spurs series started, San Antonio’s bench was assumed to have an advantage, we now see just how much of an advantage it is. Pivotal Game 5 in LA? Spurs reserves outgunned the Clippers 48-17. Spurs 10-14 from 3pt land, Clippers 0-7 . Clearly, in a series THIS close that’s an edge that WILL swing the series.
Clearly Spurs bench dominated this game.
Who comes off that San Antonio bench?
Veteran, future Hall of Famer Manu Ginobli Game 5 stats – 14 points (3-8), 6 assists, 3 rbs, 4 TO’s in 18 mins
Veteran Frenchman Boris Diaw was very clutch when it counted, scoring 8 of his 10 points in the crucial 4th Quarter, also grabbed 7 rebounds
4th year Spurs backup PG Patty Mills – Electric (55TH PICK IN 2009 DRAFT) 13 pts in 15 mins made all four 3-pointers he took. Mills’ 4 three’s were HUGE, wondered why Pop didn’t play him more in the 4th?
Veteran Marco Belinelli – 8 points, 2-2 from 3 point land, 2-2 ft’s in 13 mins.
**THOSE 4 ACCOUNTING FOR 45 OF SAN ANTONIO’S 48 BENCH POINTS
CLIPPERS STRUGGLES — Bench players… Doc’s son Austin was as invisible in Game 5 as he was phenomenal in game 4. 17 pts in Gm 4 (7-8 from field) in 16 minutes. Gm 5– 2 pts (1-4 from floor) in 12 minutes.
Jamal Crawford – 8 points 4-15 from field, 0-6 from 3 pt land in 28 minutes
Glen Davis — 7 pts, 4 rbs in 11 minutes
**Star-Crossed… For all the love lathered on Blake Griffin, his brutal 4th quarter play seriously hurt the Clippers chances to win Games 2 and 5.
4TH QUARTER IN THIS SERIES VS SPURS: GRIFFIN IS 4-21 FROM THE FIFELD, HE WENT 1-9 IN 4TH Q OF THIS GAME 5 LOSS.
