LOS ANGELES – – — Clippers guard Norman Powell continued his stellar play to start that season but a late turnover by James Harden stopped any chance of knocking off the Portland Trailblazes on Wednesday night.
With 3.9 seconds remaining, Harden in-bounded the ball and looked away from the open Powell at the top of the key and tried to find center Ivica Zubac for the lob pass but it was stolen to end the game.
When asked if the play was drawn up for Zubac, Harden answered “Yes”.
“We got to find a way to win. Obviously, we want to blow teams out, but if that’s not the case, then we find ways to win,” Harden said. “Every scenario has been different. Tonight, we just didn’t capitalize and we didn’t close. Me missing free throws can’t happen.”
Harden finished the game 19 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds. Harden struggled especially late as he shot just 6-18 from the field.
“I think they were just trying to wear him down,” Lue said. “They were throwing different bodies at him, pressuring him full-court, in the half-court leaning on him, top blocking, just trying to wear him down.”
“They have great defenders and so they could throw multiple bodies at him and that’s what they did tonight.”
Zubac who came into this game averaging 22.7 points, 14 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game had his worse performance so far this season. Portland was able to slow him down with physical play as he only contributed 6 points, 12 rebounds and an assist for Los Angeles.
Los Angeles went ice cold down the stretch. After taking a 102-99 lead on a 3-pointer by Harden with 3:35 remaining, they turned the ball over twice, had a pair of shots blocked and went 1 for 4 on free throws to let the game get away.
The loss overshadowed the fact that Powell has now scored 30 or more points for the second time in four games and has been a positive for the Clippers early in the season.
Without star forward Kawhi Leonard available. Los Angeles is looking for more than one guy to step up and they got some help from the bench. The bench scored 37 points led by guard Kevin Porter Jr’s 10 points but it wasn’t enough.
The Clippers will look to bounce back tomorrow and try to win their first game in their new arena when they matchup against the team they played in the first official game in the Intuit Dome when they match up with the Phoenix Suns.
