“They got the tip-in, and then now we got to go home to take care of business.
Had LA gotten a few more of its looks to fall or come up with a few more stops, this would be a very different series right now.
But the confidence of this team hasn’t wavered.
Clearly unsatisfied by his team’s defense in Game 1, Lue decided to move both Patrick Beverley and Ivica Zubac into the starting rotation for Game 2.
Unfortunately for the Clippers, the decision to push for more defense limited their capability on the other end of the floor.
“I thought we tried to dribble between three or four people instead of just making the right play.
Perhaps as an unintended side effect of Lue’s lineup change, LA’s spacing suffered whenever those five were on the floor together.
The Suns were content to let Terance Mann shoot as well, so the defensive upside you get with Beverley makes that change feel more warranted.
But if offensive execution is a major concern, Batum — who has been among the team’s best shooters and passers all season — will need to spend more time on the floor.
LA has found a reliable playmaker and scorer in Jackson, who is playing some of the best basketball of his career in these playoffs.
He oozes confidence, and his everlasting optimism has clearly had an impact on his on-court performance.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that Jackson’s never-say-die mentality is visible off the court as well.
“We’re going to watch film, figure out some more adjustments, things that we can do better.
In the first round, LA lost its first two games at home to a determined Dallas Mavericks squad led by Luka Dončić.
If any team is equipped to do it again, it’s these Clippers.
Time and time again, the Clippers have played their best basketball with their backs against the wall.