Clippers crush Celtics in a convincing display

The Boston Celtics fell to the Los Angeles Clippers, 140-115, and return home a solid 3-1 on the road trip. The problem, basically, was that the Clippers couldn’t seem to miss. They shot a ridiculous 53-86 (61.6%), made 13-28 threes and scored the most points given up by Boston in any game this season. LA also had a 17-6 advantage in second-chance points, and won the boards, 47-29. 

Lou Williams led with 34 points (14-20 shooting in just 23 minutes!), followed by Danilo Gallinari, 25, and Montrezl Harrell, 20. Seven Clips scored in double figures.

Jaylen Brown started for Jayson Tatum, who sat out with a bruised shoulder. It was the first game Tatum has missed for injury in two seasons. Brown did his best to keep the Celtics in the game by scoring 13 points in the third quarter, shooting 5-6, including 3-4 from the arc. He finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.

No one else did anything positive enough to rate a mention. The Clippers led 46-42 with 4:35 remaining in the first half, when they ran off nine straight points to take command. They finished with 37 points in the second quarter, went to intermission with a 62-49 advantage, and never looked back. They scored 39 in each of the third and fourth quarters.

Prior to tonight, the Celtics had won three straight games in California for the first time since 1966, and the third time in team history.