LOS ANGELES — The Clippers (40-34) overcame a fourth quarter deficit to beat the Bucks (39-35), 105-98, behind Tobias Harris’s 19 points.
Here are five quick takeaways from the Clippers’ win:
1) Late run pushes Clippers to victory —
With seven minutes remaining in the game, the Bucks led 88-83. Over the next three minutes, the Clippers rattled off 13 straight points. When the Bucks made a little run of their own, the Clippers hit three straight three-pointers to put the game out of reach.
Over the final few possessions, Lou Williams controlled the Clippers’ offense, calling plays and directing traffic. Williams finished with 16 points and 4 assists. Tobias Harris scored a team-high 19 points against one of his former teams, including 3 three-pointers and a team-high 5 assists.
2) Serbian Night Star —
Milos Teodosic, in front of a sold-out crowd on Serbian Heritage Night, starred in the first quarter, hitting four three-pointers, matching his career-high for a game within the first six minutes. With the crowd roaring and his shot falling, Teodosic amped up the flare, throwing his trademark outlet passes to streaking Clippers, along with plenty of no-look passes. In the second quarter, he threw an over-the-head no-look pass with his body facing the completely opposite direction that sent STAPLES Center into a frenzy. Unfortunately, on that play it appeared he injured his foot. After a possession or two, he intentionally fouled, then went to the locker room, and did not return.
Teodosic finished the game with 13 points and 4 assists in 16 minutes of play.
3) Antetokounmpo rallies Bucks —
Down 11 on the road in the first half, the Bucks needed a jolt. Their offense was struggling to keep up with the Clippers, and their defense couldn’t get a stop. Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo then put his imprint on the game, blocking shots and creating transition scoring chances, eventually turning the deficit into a five-point lead in the third.
Antetokounmpo ended the night with a game-high 26 points, 7 assists, and 5 blocks. Khris Middleton scored 22 points, and Eric Bledsoe added 14 of his own.
4) Welcome back Two-Way players —
A new rule implemented this season allowed the Clippers to sign players to Two-Way Contracts, enabling players to split their time between LA and their G League team, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario. The rule supplied the players with 45-days to play in the NBA during the G League season if the contract was signed at the start of the season, or prorated based on the remaining days in the regular season. Both C.J. Williams and Tyrone Wallace played out their contracts, each carving out roles in the rotation. Williams played in 30 games. Wallace played in 21. However, when they reached their allotted days, they needed to stay with Agua Caliente. But, with the G League season ending on Saturday, the players were allowed to return to the Clippers on Tuesday.
Tyrone Wallace played 13 minutes, finding a more prominent role after Teodosic’s injury. He finished with 2 points, 6 rebounds, and an assist. Williams did not enter the game.
5) Playoff look-in —
In the ever-grueling battle to make the playoffs, the Clippers helped themselves with a win, but also received help from around the league over last two days. As of right now, the Clippers sit 1.5 games behind the eighth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who have lost two in a row. The Jazz sit in the seventh spot, two games ahead of the Clippers. Sitting in the fifth and sixth spots are the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs, both of whom have lost two in a row. The Jazz, Pelicans and Spurs all are remaining on the Clippers schedule.
What’s Next? — The Clippers travel to Phoenix for a home-road back-to-back, tipping off at 7:30 PDT.