“The fate of the playoffs is in their hands and all they have to do is keep winning and increase their chances of becoming a top six team in a crowded Western Conference.
If the team can clinch a top six seed, the Clippers will avoid the NBA play-in tournament.
They took another step to reach their goals at the Intuit Dome, behind the center’s domination on Tuesday night.
Zubac has 24 points and 20 rebounds, with the fourth game of the season with at least 20 points and rebounds, making him the second-most tied in the NBA. He also had five assists, making Zubac the first clipper since the Elton Brand in 2005, earning at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in the game. Also, Chris Paul was 14 in 2013, which marked Zuback’s 12th double-double, the longest winning streak by Clipper.
“I just want to do my best, get better and help my team win,” Zubak said. “If that means I’m one of the best big names, that’s it. But I just want to win and help my teammates make life easier on the court.”
The Clippers started the game slowly, holding a two-point lead in the half. However, they opened the third quarter on an 18-3 run to take control and not blow this opportunity.
“We’re playing for something,” Clippers manager Tyrone Lou said. “We have the opportunity to do something special and we can’t ruin this game. I know some guys were tired. James (Harden) is one of them.
The Clippers won five straight games and 12 of 14 games.
With this victory despite Kawhi Leonard sitting, the Clippers (47-32) finished fourth in the West. With three regular season games remaining, the Clippers will have the advantage of a home court in the first round if they stay in the fourth spot.
Lue said it would become “all” and that Harden will take the game to another level and allow new players Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ben Simmons to enter the system, leading to better play.
“We’re just filming one game at a time,” Lou said. “But where we came from and where we are now, just… I want to get in without playing in a play-in game, so I want to play one step at a time, one at a time. But it’s very special when we play at home, especially if we can get home courts.
The Clippers decided that Leonard would not play in the second consecutive game, citing right knee injury management as the reason for the Spurs to rest their right knee injury management.
Leonard is set to face the Houston Rockets, the second-best Western Conference record, on Wednesday night. The Clippers will finish their regular season in Sacramento on Friday and Sunday in Golden State.
Leonard played in the first consecutive game of the season against the Dallas Mavericks last weekend. However, Lou said Leonard was kicked out of the “Spurs Game” before he played again, “Because he knew he would take three days off.”
“Instead, if he played in a row now, he’d spend the day in between,” Lu said. “So we tried it. It worked. He feels good. But he’s just smart about it.”
Leonard’s absence didn’t stop the Clippers from rolling, five of whom scored on double numbers.
Norman Powell had 25 points. Harden came up with one triple-double rebound with 21 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Bogdanovic scored 19 from the bench, while Derrick Jones Jr. added 18.
Harrison Burns led the Spurs with 24 points.
“The advantage on home courts is huge, especially in the playoffs,” Powell said. “It’s a tight race. We’re going to challenge the final match of the season. For us, we’re focusing on one game at a time. We’re not moving forward. We’re not relaxed. We were able to pick up all these wins to finish the season.
“We’re focused on playing basketball brands that we want to take part in the playoffs. We definitely don’t want to be that play-in. The fact that we’re fourth is good, but tomorrow we’ve handled the rocket and then moved on from there.”
