LOS ANGELES — The full-strength Clippers are 3-0 and capable, they proved on Monday night, of responding to a challenge.
This test came courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs, who stormed ahead early before the Clippers chased them down and then nipped them late for a 108-105 victory at Staples Center.
“Good quality team win,” Paul George said in his walk-off interview after he scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a crucial jumper with 13.7 seconds left.
Together, he and Leonard combined to score 41 points and the Clippers improved to 16-4 when they both play and to 35-15 this season overall – the best 50-game start in franchise history.
After the teams spent most of the second half exchanging leads, Leonard (22 points, seven assists) found Patrick Beverley stationed behind the 3-point line in front of the Clippers’ bench. Beverley’s 3-pointer (his fourth) was pure, tying the score at 102-102 with two minutes to play.
“I feel like every close game, he gets that shot in the corner next to our bench and we’re behind him hyping him up even before he gets the ball,” center Ivica Zubac said. “Like, ‘You’re gonna knock that down! You’re gonna knock it down!’”
The Clippers came up with a stop on the Spurs’ next possession and George (who also had a season-high 12 rebounds and a game-high eight assists) found a streaking Leonard with a slick bounce pass that resulted in a one-handed dunk and the 104-102 lead with 1:35 left.
Leonard then blocked DeMar DeRozan’s shot, and George got free with a crossover and swished a step-back jumper to extend the lead to 106-102 with 13.7 seconds left.
Not dead yet, San Antonio (22-27) drew within one point on Patty Mills’ sixth 3-pointer of the game, this one coming with 1.9 seconds left.
The Spurs fouled twice to stop the clock, and Lou Williams stepped to the line to apply the icing with a pair of free throws that made it 108-105. The Spurs’ half-court heave at the buzzer came up short.
“Listen, for a new team, any type of adversity is good in a strange way, you know?” Rivers said. “Because it allows you to kind of work through your stuff. And tonight was one of those nights. We weren’t playing well, we had to get it going, it became a close game down the stretch, so a lot of good things for us tonight.”
Compton native DeRozan – who arrived at Staples Center wearing a No. 8 Kobe Bryant jersey – scored 21 of his 26 points in the first half, when the Spurs shot 50 percent, planted 63 points on their hosts and went into halftime with a nine-point lead.
The Clippers’ defense, much too gracious early, showed its teeth in the second half, holding San Antonio to just 17 third-quarter points on 6-for-22 (27.3 percent) shooting. The Spurs scored only four points through the first six minutes of the third quarter.
“I thought that stretch,” Rivers said, “is what changed the game.”
“Defense was key, we held together,” George said. “It’s a tough San Antonio team, just like it always is. They play well, they execute – but defensively, we got into a nice little zone, and offensively, it comes down to us making big shots.”
Leonard’s streak of nine straight games with at least 30 points ended, but he started a 5-0 tone-setting run to begin the third quarter, sinking a 3-pointer and blocking a shot that led to a Zubac flush on the other end. What was a 15-point deficit midway through the second quarter quickly was whittled to four.
And then Leonard lobbed it to Zubac (nine points, eight rebounds) for a dunk that tied it 65-65.
And the Clippers kept coming: George went hard to the hole, finishes a reverse layup and drawing a foul to make it 68-65 and the Clippers enjoyed their first lead since 14-12.
Moments later, George took a wicked left elbow to his nose from a driving DeRozan. George, who also took a shot to the eye in Saturday’s victory over Minnesota, left the court Monday holding a towel to his face.
DeRozan was tagged with a flagrant-1 foul and the Clippers got two free throws and possession – but first, they took a timeout. George was in the locker room being treated, and they were hoping he could return to shoot the free throws and remain in the game.
He did, with gauze stuffing both nostrils. He made one of two free-throw attempts to extend the lead to 69-67.
“I didn’t feel blood trickling when it first happened and then next thing I know it’s Niagara Falls, just flowing,” George said. “Yeah, I was hoping that it wasn’t a broken nose.”
Fortunately for him, it wasn’t, although “it’s sore and it’s larger than usual right now so hopefully just ice it down, help with the swelling. But nah, no mask for me.”
Montrezl Harrell chipped in with 14 points for L.A., and Beverley and Williams scored 12 apiece.
LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 27 points.
"It's great that we were able to pick this up… Good quality team win"
– @Yg_Trece after tonight's win over San Antonio.#ClipperNation • @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/pAnfvsld7j
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) February 4, 2020
SEVEN UNANSWERED! @LAClippers LEAD!#ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/1cXw8ThkZb
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) February 4, 2020
PAUL GEORGE DAGGER!
pic.twitter.com/Rw7a4yKSq1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 4, 2020
"The defense in the second half won the game for us"
Doc Rivers reflects on tonight's victory.#ClipperNation • @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/J4OxVVgYtC
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) February 4, 2020
PG getting fancy w/ it
#ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/W3wgkDiHyw
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) February 4, 2020
All gas, no brakes for @MONSTATREZZ
: @tacobell #ClipperNation • @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/LqkstjKaUO
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) February 4, 2020
: Lou Will talks after the W over the Spurs.#ClipperNation • @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/Wccn6hcpI9
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) February 4, 2020