Paul George has 33, Clippers down the Blazers 113-112

Molly AronsonJuly 12, 2022

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Paul George had 33 points, including two free throws with 4.8 seconds left, giving the Los Angeles Clippers a 113-112 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. George also had 11 rebounds for Los Angeles, playing without Kawhi Leonard. It was the Clippers’ sixth straight win over the Blazers. CJ McCollum had 28 points but missed a pullup jumper at the final buzzer for Portland, which didn’t have Damian Lillard for the game. Norman Powell added 23 points.

The Clippers were up 86-82 heading into the final quarter, but Carmelo Anthony’s 3-pointer and jumper gave the Blazers a 93-90 lead. Powell’s layup extended it to 101-96 midway through the period.

Reggie Jackson’s 3-pointer pulled the Clippers within 102-99 with 4:29 left, but McCollum answered with a 3 for Portland. Anthony padded the lead with a jumper.

After George made free throws, Ivica Zubac’s layup narrowed it to 109-107. McCollum answered with a 3, but George’s basket got Los Angeles within a point with 33 seconds left.

McCollum missed a corner 3, and with 4.8 seconds to go, George made a pair of free throws to give the Clippers the lead. McCollum missed a jumper to end it.

Lillard ranked third in the league with 28.7 points per game and missed his third straight game with a hamstring injury. Portland also missed center Jusuf Nurkic, who was held out for knee pain management for the first back-to-back game. Enes Kanter started in Nurkic’s place.

On the Clippers’ side, Leonard was out with right foot soreness. Last week, he missed four games – three because of the foot – but returned Sunday against the Timberwolves and had 15 points and 11 rebounds in 22 minutes. The Clippers won 124-105.

Clippers coach Ty Lue said it was best to hold Leonard out now as “more of a precautionary thing” for the season’s final stretch, and he will be re-evaluated next week. Leonard leads the Clippers with 25.7 points per game. After a back-and-forth first quarter, McCollum’s left-handed floater gave the Blazers a 31-30 edge. Anthony’s free throw after Rajon Rondo’s technical put Portland up 46-42.

Powell’s 3-pointer extended the lead to 58-48 with just 2 minutes left in the first half, but the Clippers closed the gap to 60-56 at the break. Powell led all players with 17 points in the half.

Terance Mann’s dunk pulled the Clippers within 71-70 before George’s pullup jumper put them in front 75-74.

Summary show

TIP-INS

Clippers: LA handily won the two prior meetings against the Blazers this season, 128-105 and 133-116. … During a break between quarters, the Blazers showed highlights from Nic Batum’s triple-double against the Clippers on the video scoreboard. Batum played for Portland from 2008-15.

Trail Blazers. McCollum shifted to point guard, with Powell also in the backcourt. Derrick Jones Jr. started as a small forward. … It was the first of a four-game homestand for the Blazers. … Portland was coming off a 109-101 loss at Charlotte on Sunday.