Thompson became the first player in National Basketball Association history to make at least seven threes in consecutive playoff games, while Shaun Livingston scored 16 points for his third double-digit performance in three games while starting in Curry’s place this series. His 16 fourth-quarter points came on six-of-10 shooting from the floor including four of six from behind the arc. He did so again when recounting the Trail Blazers’ sluggish first half, in which Lillard missed all five of his attempts from the field and finished with only three points. Of course, Rivers isn’t Paul and shouldn’t be compared to him, but logging just three assists in almost 40 minutes of action isn’t good enough – even noting that he is missing some of his biggest weapons on offense. The Clippers lost both All Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin during game 4 of their first round playoff series.
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And although Lillard’s crunch time shots got the shine and a highlight compilation produced by the National Basketball Association, his game-high six deflections set a tone. Among the changes Rivers was contemplating for Game 6 was increasing Wesley Johnson’s minutes, utilizing Jeff Green more at small forward and using Mbah a Moute as a small-ball center whenever DeAndre Jordan is on the bench. Paul George, who scored 39 points, said Thursday hes still not over the collapse and is ready to play all 48 minutes if necessary to prevent another.
“Same as they’ve always been”, Stotts said when asked how the team was on the morning of Game 6.
IN controlled that for three quarters, then the Raptors rallied by outscoring the Pacers 25-9 in the fourth. He started Austin Rivers, Paul Pierce (who struggled all game), and Jamal Crawford in effort to find some offense. The Clippers could have played better overall defense in the fourth quarter, but more so than anything else, Lillard was simply hitting the type of shots where you simply shrug your shoulders and move on to the next play.
Allen Crabbe’s 3-pointer gave Portland a 34-26 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Hornets have won three straight games in the series, and will take a 3-2 lead into a potential Game 6 clincher on Friday night.
“You never say you’ve been through everything”, Clippers forward Blake Griffin said last week, before the latest injuries and the losses, with a chuckle that seems far more eerie now, “but we’ve been through a lot”.
It played out nearly like a regular season game when an overmatched team takes on a more talented foe, with the Blazers pulling away as the game went on. As Mason Plumlee strolled past Gerald Henderson’s stall on his way out of the Trail Blazers’ locker room at Staples Center, Henderson stopped in mid-sentence during an interview, scanned Plumlee’s slick threads – a soft white suit with a black shirt and a pair of flashy sneakers – and hissed in laughter. The Clippers actually managed to keep the game close, entering the fourth quarter tied with Portland 71-all. Jamal Crawford was miserable from the field, stepping into one bad midrange look after another that the Portland defense eagerly surrendered to his trigger-happy hands. Or will the Clippers steal a win at Moda? “At that time it got caught in the wrong place”, coach Doc Rivers said.
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Paul sat on the bench in the first half and winced when he bumped his surgically repaired right hand.
