WDBD FOX 40 Jackson MS Local News, Weather and Sports

WDBD Television for Jackson, MS

    fox-news/sports/nba/los-angeles-clippers

    Pelicans earn 105-101 win over Clippers, claim No. 8 seed

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    A franchise player out for the season. A first-year head coach. A 1-12 start. The New Orleans Pelicans overcame it all and stormed back to make the playoffs.

    Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and the Pelicans rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in a play-in Friday night and earn the West’s No. 8 seed.

    “That win was big-time,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Members of the New Orleans Pelicans celebrate as time runs out in an NBA basketball play-in tournament game against the Los Angeles Clippers Friday, April 15, 2022, in Los Angeles. The Pelicans won 105-101. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

    New Orleans blew a 16-point lead in the first half and didn’t grab the lead for good until the game’s final 4 1/2 minutes.

    “It was an emotional game, a ton of highs and lows,” Green said. “But for us, our mentality is we’re going to continue to fight. We’re not going to fade out.”

    The Pelicans made the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18, guided by Green, a former Clipper. They’ve been without Zion Williamson all season because of a foot injury.

    “Starting off 1-12 and 3-16, you’re thinking when is it going to pick up?” rookie Trey Murphy said. “Being my first year, I don’t know what winning is like. Look at us now.”

    CJ McCollum added 19 points and Larry Nance Jr. had 14 points and 16 rebounds for New Orleans, which will play No. 1 seed Phoenix in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in the desert.

    “This team is resilient,” said Nance, who was traded, along with McCollum, from Portland in February and recently returned from knee surgery. “They started 1-12. That’s so hard to pick yourself up from. I’ve been in seasons like that, it’s hard to keep going and keep striving for it.”

    New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III celebrates along with teammates on the bench after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game against the Los Angeles Clippers Friday, April 15, 2022, in Los Angeles. The Pelicans won 105-101. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

    The Clippers were dealt a huge blow earlier in the day when Paul George entered the league’s health and safety protocols. They’d already been without Kawhi Leonard all season while he rehabbed an ACL injury. He watched from the bench early in the game.

    Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson each had 27 points for the Clippers.

    “I am disappointed in us not being able to make the playoffs, no matter who was playing,” said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who is missing the postseason for the first time as a head coach.

    TRAE YOUNG’S 38 LIFT HAWKS PAST CAVS FOR NO. 8 PLAYOFF SEED

    The Pelicans shot 57% in the first half and were better on the boards, in the paint and off the bench. They led by 16 in the second quarter before the Clippers cut their deficit to 56-46 at halftime.

    The Clippers roared back in the third, outscoring the Pelicans 38-18. They opened with a 20-2 run that had the crowd on its feet. Jackson scored 10 points and Morris added six in the spurt.

    Robert Covington started the third in place of 7-footer Ivica Zubac and his three-point play gave the Clippers a 75-62 lead, their largest of the game.

    Ingram scored five of the Pelicans’ final 12 points to send them into the fourth trailing 84-74.

    “Just having faith in each other and staying connected,” Green said of the Pelicans’ mindset. “Knowing we took their best shot and we’re only down 10 going into the fourth.”

    That’s when New Orleans staged a rally of its own.

    New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, right, drives past Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Friday, April 15, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

    After the Clippers scored to go up by 13 points, the Pelicans ran off 11 straight points and then McCollum hit a 3-pointer to tie it, 88-all.

    Murphy hit his second 3-pointer of the quarter for another tie at 94-all.

    That sparked a 10-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 101-94 lead, capped by Murphy’s 3-pointer that bounced on the rim and went in. He was one of three rookies who contributed.

    “Murphy had huge stones to come in and make those big shots they needed when they were struggling to score the basketball,” Lue said.

    The Clippers twice closed within two in the final 1:17, but they missed 2 of 4 free throws and Jackson and Morris missed shots down the stretch to see their season slip away.

    “I thought our guys got a little tired,” Lue said. “We didn’t continue to keep attacking.”

    The Clippers, who made the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history last year, also were missing Luke Kennard. The league’s 3-point percentage leader didn’t play because of a sore right hamstring that kept him out of the loss at Minnesota on Tuesday in the team’s first play-in game.

    TIP-INS

    Pelicans: They had won the season series, 3-1.

    Clippers: Hadn’t missed the playoffs since 2017-18 season. … Nicolas Batum and Terance Mann started in place of George and Kennard … Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, said Leonard “continues to progress with his rehab,” but there is no timetable for his return.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    UP NEXT

    The Pelicans were 1-3 against the Suns this season.

    Paul George out for Clippers’ play-in game vs. Pelicans

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The Los Angeles Clippers will be without Paul George for the team’s play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night.

    George entered the league’s health and safety protocols. Lawrence Frank, the team’s president of basketball operations, announced the forward’s status hours before tip-off. The winner of the game will gain the No. 8 seed in the playoffs. The Clippers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 7 seed.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) is fouled by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards during the second quarter of a game Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    “We feel really bad for Paul and hope for a speedy recovery,” Frank said, adding that George wasn’t feeling well Thursday.

    “This is another challenge for our group. The group has dealt with challenges all year. We’ve had guys in and out of the lineup. We’ve dealt with overcoming large deficits and yet this group has always responded.”

    BEN SIMMONS SITUATION BECOMING ‘DISTRACTION’ FOR NETS, RETIRED NBA CHAMP SAYS

    Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) drives past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley (22) during the first quarter of a game Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    George has been a huge contributor to the Clippers’ offense since his return in the middle of the season. He missed 43 games with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

    The team was 22-25 without George this season.

    The 31-year-old averaged 24.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 31 games this season.

    Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George celebrates during the fourth quarter of the team’s play-in game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    He scored 34 points in a 109-104 loss to the Timberwolves on Tuesday. Should the Clippers defeat the Pelicans, they will play the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Patrick Beverley blasts Clippers: ‘Take they a– home’

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Patrick Beverley was shipped out of Los Angeles this past offseason after four seasons with the Clippers, and apparently, he took that personal. 

    Beverley now plays for the Timberwolves that took on the Clippers in last night’s play-in tournament where Minnesota would go on to win 109-104 at home.

    Beverley hopped on the mic post-game to let his former team hear it.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley (22) looks at his hands after a foul call against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    “Take they a– home. Long flight to LA. It’s deep for me. I gave my blood, sweat, and tears to that organization. To be written off like that. He’s injury-prone. He’s old. To play them in a play-in and beat they a–, no other feeling,” Beverley said.

    The 33-year-old guard had himself a decent night pouring in seven points, 11 rebounds, a block, and a steal, but per usual his words arrived after a slew of teammates did most of the heavy lifting. 

    This is why Patrick Beverley drew a response from the Lakers’ Russell Westbrook a few years back that Beverley was “tricking” us and just “running around.” He wasn’t exactly right because Beverley does make an impact on the game, however his play doesn’t back up his persona. 

    Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, guards Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley (22) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. The Timberwolves won 134-114.  (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

    We’re watching a player speak like he’s Gary Payton in the flesh. And you know it’s bad when a 20-year-old in Anthony Edwards dropped 30 points and shows more post-game composure and had a face of genuine shock when after you spoke. 

    Sending a player packing to another organization doesn’t always have to be taken personally. Sometimes it’s just business. 

    Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley (22) celebrates a basket against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    And before I can let anyone go, the NBA on TNT hilariously made fun of the T-Wolves’ celebration after winning this game.

    Anthony Edwards, D’Angelo Russell carry Wolves past Clippers in play-in game

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell came through with a steady stream of clutch makes. Patrick Beverley supplied the intensity in an emotional triumph over his former team.

    The Minnesota Timberwolves proved they belong in the playoffs, and that rare air for this franchise is just where they’re headed.

    Edwards and Russell combined for 59 points to help the Timberwolves overcome a rough night for Karl-Anthony Towns and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104 in a play-in game on Tuesday night.

    “The game had to go in a different direction,” coach Chris Finch said. “That’s why you have a team, because a lot of other people step up.”

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards (1) drives on Los Angeles Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    Edwards scored 30 points with five 3-pointers and Russell had 29 points and six assists to send the Wolves to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and a first-round matchup with Memphis.

    “Just utilizing what we have,” Russell said. “We’ve got a lot of pieces that complement each other.”

    Paul George finished with 34 points after shooting 2 for 10 in the first half for the Clippers, who have a second chance to make the playoffs with a home game on Friday for the No. 8 seed against either New Orleans or San Antonio.

    Reggie Jackson (17 points) and Norman Powell (16 points) did their part in stretches, but the Clippers failed to create enough separation when the Timberwolves were sputtering through most of the first half.

    Towns had only 11 points on 3-for-11 shooting and fouled out midway through the fourth quarter, but his sidekicks were more than up to the challenge.

    “I took what the game gave me. That’s what they gave me. They were scared to guard me, and I took advantage of that,” Edwards said.

    Jackson’s 3-pointer gave the Clippers their largest lead of the game at 93-83 with 8:54 remaining, but about 4 minutes later Russell knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer for a 97-95 advantage the Wolves never relinquished. He saluted the crowd for the punctuation.

    Edwards followed with a tomahawk dunk after blowing by Powell at the top of the key.

    “I’m one of the best defensive guys on earth, and no one can guard him,” said Beverley, who was in tears during the spirited celebration afterward as Edwards hopped up on the scorer’s table.

    The fans were fired up for this fast-paced, fast-improving team that’s headed to the playoffs for the second time in 17 years, but the buzz wore off a bit in the third quarter while George found his groove with a smooth 15 points.

    Then Towns fouled out with 7:34 to go, less than 2 minutes after he had just checked back in.

    “They played a lot better without KAT on the floor,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “They got into us defensively. They switched on a lot more stuff. I just didn’t think we made the right plays.”

    The Clippers had success disrupting Towns during the regular season when they won three of the four matchups, losing only in January when George was out, and they spared no energy attacking the two-time All-Star center from every which way. Nicolas Batum was his primary tormentor, but most of the Clippers had a hand in it.

    Towns failed to make a basket in the first half for the first time in more than three years, an 0-for-7 clunker. His only points came on a pair of free throws, and he flashed a sarcastic smile and pumped his first after getting that call.

    STICKING WITH IT

    The Wolves trailed 45-38 when Towns exited with his fourth foul with 3:48 left before halftime, but there was a delay less than a minute later after a woman from the crowd sneaked onto the court during a dead ball on the other end. Staging an animal rights protest, she glued her hand to the hardwood along the baseline and sprawled out before security was able to pry her away.

    The Timberwolves took advantage of the extended pause. Russell hit two mid-range floaters and a 3-pointer over the balance of the half to help stake them to a 53-51 lead at the break.

    BEVERLEY ILLS

    The most central figure in this matchup might have been Beverley, the relentless defender and ace agitator who spent the last four seasons with the Clippers.

    The NBA announced a $25,000 fine for Beverley shortly before tipoff for his “improper conduct” in Minnesota’s last game toward referee David Guthrie, at whom he yelled, “You’re trash!” on his way off the court following his ejection for a second technical foul.

    Beverley got a technical in the third quarter of this game, too, after tussling with Marcus Morris Sr. Far more importantly, he had seven points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

    “When he’s in that mode, it ignites the team,” George said. “It ignites the arena.”

    TIP-INS

    Clippers: Backup guard Luke Kennard, their fifth-leading scorer, stayed home because of a hamstring injury.

    Timberwolves: Backup forward Taurean Prince was out with a swollen knee.

    UP NEXT

    Clippers: Host the San Antonio-New Orleans winner on Friday night. The Spurs play at the Pelicans on Wednesday night in an elimination game.

    Timberwolves: Game 1 in Memphis is on Saturday afternoon.

    NBA play-in tournament 2022: What to know

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The NBA play-in tournament will feature the last remaining four teams in each conference vying for the final two spots in the first round of the playoffs.

    The top of the Eastern and Western Conferences featured some of the best teams all year round and the top six are in the playoffs already, waiting to see how the rest of the bracket shakes out.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Kevin Durant, left, talks with Nets’ teammate Kyrie Irving during the Cleveland Cavaliers game at Barclays Center on April 8, 2022, in Brooklyn.  (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

    In the Eastern Conference, the Brooklyn Nets (44-38), Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38), Atlanta Hawks (43-39) and Charlotte Hornets (43-39) finished Nos. 7 through 10 in the standings.

    In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves (46-36), Los Angeles Clippers (42-40), New Orleans Pelicans (36-46) and San Antonio Spurs (34-48) finished Nos. 7 through 10 in the standings.

    Here’s how the tournament will shake out.

    The No. 9 team in each conference will play the No. 10 team. The team that wins the 9-10 game will stay in contention to earn the eighth seed in the conference and the losing team will be eliminated. The No. 7 and 8 teams will also compete, with the winner getting the No. 7 seed and the losing team getting a chance to play the winner of the 9-10 game for a chance to earn the No. 8 seed.

    The final game will be played to determine which team gets the No. 8 seed in the conference.

    The regular playoffs will continue after that.

    CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE NBA PLAYOFFS COVERAGE

    Projected lineups

    Timberwolves forward Anthony Edwards celebrates after scoring against the San Antonio Spurs Thursday, April 7, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

    Brooklyn Nets: Kyrie Irving, Seth Curry, Bruce Brown, Kevin Durant and Andre Drummond

    Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Lauri Markkanen and Evan Mobley

    Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Danilo Gallinari, DeAndre Hunter and Clint Capela

    Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, P.J. Washington and Mason Plumlee

    Minnesota Timberwolves: Patrick Beverley, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards, Jarred Vanderbilt and Karl-Anthony Towns

    Los Angeles Clippers: Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum and Ivica Zubac

    New Orleans Pelicans: Devonte’ Graham, C.J. McCollum, Herb Jones, Jaxson Hayes and Jonas Valanciunas

    San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray, Joshua Primo, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poeltl

    Play-tournament schedule

    All times are Eastern.

    Tuesday, April 12, 2022

    Game 1: Nets vs. Cavaliers (7 p.m. ET; TNT)

    Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Clippers (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT)

    Wednesday, April 13, 2022

    New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum drives on Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Memphis, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

    Game 3: Hawks vs. Hornets (7 p.m. ET; ESPN)

    Game 4: Pelicans vs. Spurs (9:30 p.m.; ESPN)

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    Friday, April 15, 2022

    Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 3 winner (TBD; ESPN)

    Game 6: Game 2 loser vs. Game 4 winner (TBD; TNT)

    Norman Powell returns, Clippers beat Suns for 3rd straight win

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The Los Angeles Clippers got way too comfortable against the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns and it nearly cost them.

    Leading by 39 points in the third quarter, the Clippers survived an offensive onslaught by Phoenix’s bench in the fourth and hung on for a 113-109 victory on Wednesday night.

    Norman Powell scored 24 points after being out two months and Paul George added 19 points in three quarters to go over 15,000 in his career for the Clippers.

    “You can never relax in the NBA,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “The players are too good, the coaches are too good, and as soon as you let your guard down things like this can happen.”

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Los Angeles Clippers forward Norman Powell, left, shoots as Phoenix Suns forward Ish Wainright defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 6, 2022, in Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

    With nothing at stake, Phoenix rested All-Star guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul and fellow starters Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder on the second night of a back-to-back. The Suns had already set a franchise record for wins in a season with 63 by eliminating the Lakers from playoff contention Tuesday.

    The Clippers beat up the Suns for three quarters. But Phoenix’s reserves put together a 48-point fourth quarter and then ran out of time.

    “It’s a great lesson for our team and any kid watching, you just play it out,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “We just stayed with it and had that Suns grit.”

    Cameron Payne came back in and hit a 3-pointer that drew the Suns within four with 10 seconds left. Amir Coffey got fouled and made both free throws to preserve the win.

    Ish Wainwright scored a career-high 20 points to lead Phoenix. Aaron Holiday added 16 points and Bismack Biyombo had 14 points and 12 rebounds. The only starter in double figures was Payne with 13 points. The Suns’ bench outscored the Clippers’ reserves 66-58.

    “When you have games like this, you find out who that guy is that you may be able to throw into a big game,” Williams said. “You build that confidence in games like this.”

    George and Powell were playing together for the first time this season, but they quickly got in sync to help the Clippers win their third in a row. They are locked into the eighth spot for the Western Conference play-in tournament next week.

    George has played in five of six games since returning from a torn UCL. Powell is back after missing 21 games with a broken foot. He played in just three games with the team before getting hurt shortly after he was acquired in a trade from Portland.

    “Playing with PG still didn’t seem real to me,” Powell said. “I looked up to him growing up. Early on in my career he gave me some words of encouragement that stuck with me.”

    George scored 10 of his team’s first 14 points to start the game. Powell came in for the first time late in the first quarter and hit a jumper.

    They started the second quarter together. Powell hit a 3-pointer and a jumper back-to-back, then George found him for another 3-pointer as part of a 22-0 run.

    “We just tried to play off one another,” George said. “The biggest thing for me was playing off the ball and letting Norm get comfortable. He’s a big-time playmaker and scorer off the ball.”

    The Suns’ first points didn’t come until 6:49, when former Clipper Landry Shamet hit a 3-pointer.

    The Clippers outscored the Suns 34-9 in the second to lead 60-31 going into halftime.

    Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers.

    TIP-INS

    Suns: Their 31 points in the first half were the fewest allowed by the Clippers in a half this season. … JaVale McGee led a rollicking, expletive-filled huddle in the tunnel before the Suns took the court to warm up. … The Jenner sisters, Kylie and Kendall, who dates Booker, sat opposite the team bench.

    Clippers: Split the season series, 2-2. … A moment of silence was held for Gene Shue, a two-time NBA coach of the year who had two separate stints guiding the Clippers. He died earlier this week at age 90. … Hall of Famer and Clippers executive Jerry West posed for a photo at halftime with Grammy nominee Saweetie, who sported bright pink hair. … Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen sat courtside.

    15K for PG

    George reflected on becoming the 16th active player with at least 15,000 career points.

    “I’m just a kid who came literally from the desert,” he said, referring to his high desert hometown of Palmdale north of Los Angeles. “Every time I touch the floor, especially because of the injuries, I’m always grateful for the opportunity.”

    He added, “Hopefully, I crack the 20,000 milestone and the 30,000 milestone.”

    UP NEXT

    Suns: Visit Utah on Friday.

    Clippers: Host Sacramento on Saturday in the first game of a back-to-back.

    DeMar DeRozan scores 50, Bulls rally past Clippers in OT

    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    DeMar DeRozan did everything he could to carry the Chicago Bulls to a much-needed victory.

    The only glitch came in the closing seconds of regulation. That’s when he missed the potential go-ahead free throw after making his first two to tie it.

    In the end, it didn’t matter much.

    DeRozan scored a season-high 50 points and Chicago rallied to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 135-130 in overtime Thursday night.

    DeRozan finished two points shy of his career high. The five-time All-Star scored 17 in the fourth quarter and made up for his missed foul shot by scoring 10 more in overtime.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan looks to pass during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers in Chicago, Thursday, March 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

    “It felt like a bomb went off inside my head,” he said. “Just frustrated with myself.”

    DeRozan shrugged off the missed free throw and helped the Bulls come away with a win after falling behind by 16 in the third period.

    Chicago, which led the Eastern Conference for a large portion of the season, moved a half-game ahead of sixth-place Toronto with five remaining. The Bulls are trying to stay in the top six in order to avoid the play-in round in the postseason.

    Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 14 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 21 as the Bulls won for the third time in four games.

    Reggie Jackson led Los Angeles with 34 points.

    Paul George scored 22 in his second game back after missing three months because of a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He played 32 minutes and sat out overtime.

    Marcus Morris Sr. added 20 points and Nicolas Batum scored 17. But the Clippers — eighth in the West — lost for the sixth time in seven games.

    Clippers coach Tyronn Lue noticed a difference in the Bulls’ defense as Chicago rallied.

    “They picked their defensive intensity up,” he said. “I thought they did a good job with that. We took some bad shots, I thought, during that stretch instead of just continuing to keep playing the way we were playing.”

    IN OT

    Chicago led by four in overtime when Luke Kennard hit a 3 for Los Angeles with 1:12 left. Patrick Williams answered with one of his own to make it 129-125 with just under a minute remaining.

    Jackson then hit two foul shots for the Clippers before DeRozan converted two to make it 131-127.

    Williams rebounded a missed drive by Jackson, leading to two more free throws by DeRozan that made it a six-point game. Jackson nailed a 3 to cut it to 133-130 with five seconds left.

    DeRozan caught the inbounds pass following a timeout by the Bulls and drove for a dunk, sealing a wild win for Chicago.

    BULLS RALLY

    The Clippers saw their lead shrink to four early in the fourth and got it back up to 11 with about five minutes remaining before the Bulls made another push.

    Los Angeles was leading 118-115 with seven seconds left in regulation when Terance Mann got called for a foul away from the ball on an inbounds play following a timeout. That led to a free throw for DeRozan that cut it to two and possession for Chicago.

    DeRozan then got fouled by George on a 3-point attempt with 3.5 seconds remaining. He hit the first two foul shots to tie it at 118 and missed the third, sending the game to overtime.

    TIP-INS

    Clippers: Batum (sore left ankle) and Morris (sore left knee) played well after being listed as questionable.

    Bulls: DeRozan has 2,019 points, the second time he’s scored 2,000 in a season. He is the first Bulls player to do it since Derrick Rose had 2,026 points in his 2010-11 MVP season. … G Lonzo Ball (left knee) will start building up to sprinting at full speed and resume cutting after a 10-day pause because of discomfort, coach Billy Donovan said. How Ball responds will determine when — or if — he returns this season. Ball had surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus. “I have not gotten anything from the doctors that said to me like, ‘Listen, there’s just not enough time. We can’t get him back.’ They’re gonna do everything they can to try to get him back,” Donovan said. Chicago closes the regular season at Minnesota on April 10. … Williams said he was late for the morning shootaround and got fined by the team. He then played by far a season-high 36:49 in his seventh game back after being sidelined since late October because of torn ligaments in his left wrist.

    UP NEXT

    Clippers: Visit Milwaukee on Friday.

    Bulls: Host Miami on Saturday.

    George scores 32, Clippers rally late in 4th to beat Thunder

    With his team in a shooting slump to start the season and 3 of 21 from 3-point range during the first half Monday night, Los Angeles Clippers coach Ty Lue kept his message simple at halftime.

    “There was nowhere to go but up,” he said.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Even though the Clippers faced a nine-point deficit late in the fourth quarter, they found their shooting touch just in time and were able to rally for a 99-94 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    “I thought early on, we had great looks. … Our bench guys started laughing, ‘We’re getting wide-open shots and we can’t make them,'” Lue said. “I felt like we were in a good place.”

    Los Angeles came in 26th in the NBA in field goal shooting and was converting only 31.7% of its 3-pointers after making a record 41.1% last season. It appeared to be more of the same against the Thunder, especially after Josh Giddey’s jumper with 2:44 remaining put Oklahoma City in front 91-82.

    But the Clippers (2-4) finally found their rhythm in the last three minutes as they went on a 17-3 run to take the lead. They were 12 of 21 on 3s in the second half, including 6 for 9 in the fourth quarter.

    Paul George scored 32 points, including 15 in the final period. George, who also had nine rebounds and seven assists, scored eight points during the decisive spurt, including a 10-footer with 1:08 left to give Los Angeles a 93-92 lead, its first since early in the first quarter.

    “Our team was playing good defense. We were holding them. We were getting stops, so we couldn’t finish with empty possessions,” said George, who has scored at least 29 points in four of the Clippers’ six games. “We had to stay confident that shots were going to fall.”

    Reggie Jackson added 15 points, while Luke Kennard and Nicolas Batum scored 14 apiece.

    “There was almost a dark cloud over us. We tried to keep it lighthearted,” Jackson said about the shooting woes. “As long as Coach kept having confidence in us.”

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 28 points, including 15 in the third quarter for Oklahoma City (1-6), which led by 16 in the second. Darius Bazley and Giddey scored 15 apiece.

    The Clippers cut the Thunder’s lead to two a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but Oklahoma City was able to go on runs to get some breathing room. However, the Thunder weren’t able to fend off one last Los Angeles rally.

    “We didn’t make the plays we needed to make. Overall we gave ourselves a chance to win, but they went and got the game and we didn’t,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “We showed great poise throughout the game until that last stretch. We would have liked to close it but at the end of the day it is progress that we are putting ourselves in these situations on the road against a good team.”

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    UNDER 100

    Oklahoma City snapped a 43-game streak dating to last season of allowing 100 or more points.

    REBOUNDING IMPROVEMENT

    Los Angeles was outrebounded by at least 20 in losses to Cleveland and Portland, but broke even against the Thunder as both teams had 51 boards.

    RARE AIR

    Derrick Favors’ 3-pointer during the first quarter gave the Thunder a 9-5 lead and was his first make from beyond the arc since the 2019-20 season. The 11-year veteran has hit only 37 3-pointers in his career.

    TIP-INS

    Thunder: G Lu Dort missed the game due to a shoulder injury sustained Saturday at Golden State. … F Gabriel Deck was also out of the lineup due to a bruised left heel. … Aleksej Pokusevski had nine points and an assist in the second quarter.

    Clippers: Los Angeles set a season high for rebounds, including 12 from Isaiah Hartenstein. It was the third-year center’s eighth career game with 12 or more boards. … Jackson went over 8,000 career points.

    UP NEXT

    Thunder: Remain in Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Thursday.

    Clippers: Visit Minnesota on Wednesday for the first of back-to-back games against the Timberwolves.

    Kawhi Leonard has surgery; Clippers confirm partial ACL tear

    Kawhi Leonard had surgery Tuesday to repair a partial tear of his right ACL, an injury the Los Angeles Clippers did not specify as he sat out the team’s first-ever Western Conference finals appearance.

    The Clippers said there is no timetable for his return.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    Leonard averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 11 playoff games. He first got hurt in Game 4 of the team’s second-round series against the Utah Jazz. He was held out of the last eight postseason games, including the Clippers’ 4-2 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the West finals.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    The Clippers only said Leonard had a knee sprain. They never offered further details and he was ruled out on a game-by-game basis the rest of the playoffs.

    Leonard has a player option for the 2021-22 season. He averaged 24.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 52 regular-season games.

    Paul George helps Clippers stay alive with epic performance in Game 5

    The Los Angeles Clippers needed a big game from Paul George and they got one Monday night.

    George scored 41 points on 15-of-20 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds along with six assists in the Clippers’ 116-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns. The Clippers cut the series deficit to 3-2.

    CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

    The veteran star played 41 minutes in the win and hit some big shots down the stretch to keep the Suns from coming back.

    Los Angeles also got 23 points from guard Reggie Jackson. He also added five rebounds and three assists. Marcus Morris Sr. added 22 points as well. Morris was 9-of-16 from the field.

    DeMarcus Cousins came off the bench to score 15 points in 11 minutes.

    The Clippers did this without Kawhi Leonard again. Leonard has been out nursing a knee injury he suffered during the conference semifinals series against the Utah Jazz. It’s unclear whether he will return for the series but George has played excellent in his absence.

    Phoenix got 31 points from Devin Booker in the loss. Chris Paul added 22 points and eight assists. But both Suns stars did not shoot great from the field.

    Booker was 9-for-22 and 4-of-6 from distance. Paul was 8-for-19 from the field and did not make any three-pointer. He attempted six times.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    The series will head back to Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Clippers need a win to stay alive once again.