Category: Los Angeles Clippers Blog

Clippers blog – LA Clippers blog

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 5 against Jazz

The Clippers, who are already without the services of center Serge Ibaka, now have a major injury problem at the forward spot. Via the LA Times:

When Kawhi Leonard was asked about his right knee Monday night following Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round playoff series against Utah, he replied quickly, “I’m good.”

Because the answer was hard to hear through the videoconference’s feed, he was asked again.

“Yeah,” Leonard said. “Next question.”

Less than 48 hours later, with Game 5 of a deadlocked series looming Wednesday night in Salt Lake City, Leonard is not good. The forward, who has averaged more than 30 points, seven rebounds and four assists while shooting 57% in the postseason, is out for Game 5 because of a strained right knee suffered in the final five minutes of Game 4, when he was bumped by Utah’s Joe Ingles.

And from the OC Register:

Leonard – who was named to the All-NBA first team on Tuesday, his third such honor – reportedly could miss the rest of the best-of-seven series, which is tied, 2-2. He was not listed on the Clippers’ official injury report Tuesday, but according to ESPN, the 29-year-old forward told teammates Tuesday night to prepare for him to be out. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Clippers are fearful Leonard has suffered an ACL injury.

The five-time All-Star from Moreno Valley planted awkwardly on a drive to the basket in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ 118-104 victory on Monday night at Staples. He grimaced following the play but remained in the game, missing both free throws he was awarded on the drive after a foul was assessed to Bojan Bogdanovic. Leonard remained in the game briefly after that, too, drawing another foul and making both of those free throws.

The Jazz remain without the services of point guard Mike Conley. But Leonard being out is a bigger problem for L.A. than Conley being out is for Utah.

Jazz guard Mike Conley remains out, will miss Game 3 vs. Clippers

The Jazz remain without the services of their starting point guard. Via the Deseret News:

Mike Conley will miss a third straight game on Saturday.

The Utah Jazz’s All-Star guard was ruled out of playing Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers because of the right hamstring strain he sustained in Game 5 of the Jazz’s first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Clippers lead the series 2-0. Game 3 is tonight in Los Angeles at 8:30PM ET, televised on ABC.

Clippers center Serge Ibaka undergoes back surgery

L.A. Clippers center Serge Ibaka underwent back surgery in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 10. He will miss the remainder of the NBA post-season.

Ibaka played 41 games for the Clippers this regular season, starting 39 times, for an average of 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in limited action: 23.3 minutes per game. He missed two months of action, from mid March through mid May, but played just six minutes in a first round Game 2 against the Mavericks on May 25, and hasn’t been on the court since.

The Clippers are currently down 0-2 to the Utah Jazz in their second round playoff series.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic dealing with nerve problem in neck

Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is dealing with a nerve problem in his neck, and it’s a huge issue for the squad. Via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

American Airlines Center has seen quite a turn. The unbridled joy and sheer hilarity of the first quarter of Friday night’s game has been replaced by a quiet and somber crowd following Sunday night’s Game 4 loss. The Mavs went from from being up 2-0 to being tied 2-2, and it’s not wrong to wonder when — and how — they might win another game in this series.

Sunday’s 106-81 loss provided the exclamation point but it was simply a continuation of a merciless onslaught that began in a 118-108 setback on Friday night when the Clippers rallied from an early 30-11 deficit to run away from Mavs.

The Mavs simply have no answers for Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George as the series heads back to Los Angeles for the critical Game 5 on Wednesday…

And with the Mavs’ all-star guard Luka Donic now playing in obvious pain with an injured neck, albeit valiantly, the Mavs don’t stand a chance.

Doncic led the Mavs with 19 points on Sunday but it was on 9-of-24 shooting. He also missed all five of his free throws.

The series is taking a few days off, with Game 5 not until Wednesday.

Lakers and AEG sign deal to keep Staples Center as Lakers’ home through 2041 NBA season

The Los Angeles Lakers and AEG, the owners of STAPLES Center, have signed a long-term lease extension agreement ensuring that the defending World Champions will remain in their downtown Los Angeles home arena through the 2041 season.

Since beginning their first season on November 3, 1999 at the venue, the Lakers have achieved the most successful two decades in franchise history, posting both regular season (987-780) and playoff (139-79) records during that time on the way to winning six NBA championships, including last season’s record tying 17th title in the NBA bubble.

Separately, AEG and the Lakers confirmed their plans to make a wide array of significant capital improvements and upgrades throughout STAPLES Center.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with AEG. STAPLES Center ranks as one of the best arenas in the world to play and watch basketball and we are thrilled to be able to call it home for another two decades,” said Jeanie Buss, Governor, Los Angeles Lakers. The decision was made first and foremost with our fans and players in mind and AEG’s commitment to investing significant capital in the arena means that the Lakers will continue to play in one of the world’s premier venues. From the very beginning, AEG proved to be more than just the best arena operators in our industry, and on a daily basis they continue demonstrating why they are the best partner an organization could ask for.”

“When we began developing STAPLES Center, AEG had a singular goal — to create a showplace venue that would become the heart of sports in Los Angeles, home to the best franchises, events and fans,” said Dan Beckerman, CEO and President, AEG. “There is no doubt that our partnership with the Buss Family and the Lakers solidified the arena’s legendary status from the beginning and brought some of the most memorable moments in sports and entertainment history to fans. We look forward to another 20 years of our successful partnership with the Lakers and believe that the investments we are making will ensure that STAPLES Center remains the epicenter for sports and entertainment, delivering the most exciting events in the world.”

“The true winners today and for the future are our incredible fans, the greatest fans in all of professional sports,” said Tim Harris, President of Business Operations, Los Angeles Lakers. “For more than 20 years, Dan, Lee, and everyone on the arena’s staff has continually shared our vision and commitment to delivering first-class experiences to our players and our fans.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with today’s announcement and want to thank all of my colleagues who have played such important roles in creating so many unforgettable sports and entertainment moments in our arena,” said Lee Zeidman, President of STAPLES Center, Microsoft Theater and L.A. LIVE. “For the past two decades, along with hosting 11 championship seasons achieved by the Lakers, Kings and Sparks, STAPLES Center and LA LIVE have helped drive the revitalization of downtown, bringing millions of fans to Los Angeles each year. Our planned renovations combined with the new Laker championships that are destined to be in our future, mean that the best is yet to come.”

Clippers racking up turnovers lately

The Clippers have racked up lots of turnovers lately. This isn’t an emergency. There is no cause for alarm. It’s just a thing to keep an eye on should you happen to watch the squad’s next few games. Via the OC Register:

Before the All-Star break, they averaged 13.3 turnovers per game, sixth-fewest in the NBA. There was a span in March — when [Patrick] Beverley was out with a sore knee but [Kawhi] Leonard was available — that the Clippers registered fewer than 10 turnovers in four of five games.

But then, between April 11 and April 28 — a time frame for which Beverley was sidelined the whole while and Leonard missed all but one game — the Clippers averaged 14.7 turnovers.

And now that they’ve plugged Beverley and Leonard back in and are striving to put it all together again, they followed that 18-turnover outing against the Raptors with a season-high 22 turnovers against the Lakers.

Clippers sign Yogi Ferrell to 10-day contract

The LA Clippers have signed Yogi Ferrell to a 10-day contract.

Ferrell, 27, appeared in two games for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, averaging 9.5 points. 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals. The 6-foot-0 guard also appeared in 14 games for the Salt Lake City Stars of the G League this season.

Ferrell holds NBA career averages of 7.8 points, 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 251 career appearances with the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings and Cavaliers. A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Ferrell earned a spot on the 2016-17 All-Rookie Second Team, and in February 2017, became just the second undrafted rookie to win Rookie of the Month honors in his first professional season.

Prior to the NBA, Ferrell was a four-year starter at Indiana, where he was a two-time All-Big Ten First Team member and a Wooden Award Finalist for the 2015-16 season.

Paul George is getting serious buckets for the Clippers lately

Paul George is putting up serious scoring numbers for the Clippers lately. Via the OC Register:

The Clippers are coming home from their three-game road swing for a bona fide meet-and-greet, a long-awaited home game at Staples Center in front of people who’ve bought to tickets to be there – and possibly to bear witness to some personal scoring history by Paul George.

The Clippers’ star has been on a tear, with a career-high-tying five-game scoring streak of 30-plus points. He’s steered through defenses that have been better able to key on him without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, and performed despite a nagging toe injury and, in the last game, the lingering effects of illness.

George is averaging 34.8 points in this recent five-game stretch, shooting 53.4% from the field and 52.4% from 3-point range. He’s also averaging 5.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals in that span.

The last time he had this kind of run was in Oklahoma City in 2018-19, the season he finished third in MVP voting.

The Clippers are 39-19 this season, which is the third best record in the Westtern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2020-21 are Kawhi Leonard at 26.0 ppg, George at 23.6 ppg, then Marcus Morris at 13.1 ppg.

Clippers keep DeMarcus Cousins for another 10 days

DeMarcus Cousins’ attempt to put himself back on the basketball map will continue with the Clippers, at least for another 10 days. Via the OC Register:

The team tweeted Friday morning it had signed veteran center DeMarcus Cousins to a second 10-day contract. The 30-year-old appeared in three games since joining the team on his first 10-day deal April 5, averaging six points and three rebounds in 9.7 minutes per contest. He’s 7 for 15 from the field as a Clipper so far.

Despite Cousins’ limited usage, coach Tyronn Lue made it clear after Wednesday’s win in Detroit that the Clippers are high on the four-time All-Star, known affectionately as “Boogie,” who joined the team after being waived by Houston 25 games into the season.

Clippers sign forward Malik Fitts to 10-day contract

The LA Clippers have signed forward Malik Fitts to a 10-day contract.

Fitts, 23, appeared in 14 games for the Agua Caliente Clippers this season, averaging 11.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists. A training camp invitee this season, Fitts appeared in two preseason games for the Clippers.

Fitts played two collegiate seasons at Saint Mary’s, where he appeared in 68 games and averaged 15.9 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 47.3 percent from the field. Prior to transferring to Saint Mary’s, the 6-foot-8 forward played his first college season at South Florida, where he appeared in 27 games and averaged 7.4 points and 4.6 rebounds. A native of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Fitts was named to the 2019-20 All-WCC First Team and the 2018-19 All-WCC Second Team.