Spurs at Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers didn't really miss Blake Griffin in their first game after his knee surgery but surely could use the perennial All-Star power forward on Thursday when they host the powerful San Antonio Spurs. Griffin fared well in a win over San Antonio earlier in the campaign, and the task of winning without him will be tough with the Spurs a dynamic 15-1 on the road this season.
San Antonio won five straight contests and 18 of its last 20 after rallying for a 102-100 win on Tuesday to halt the Houston Rockets' 10-game winning streak. "We played great basketball to finish the game," backup forward David Lee told reporters in regards to the Spurs overcoming a 13-point deficit in the final 4 1/2 minutes. "I'm just really, really proud of our guys, especially on the road. That's a tough win to get and we got it." Griffin underwent his surgery on Tuesday and the Clippers cruised to a 118-101 win over the Denver Nuggets later that night. "They clearly know they have a much smaller margin for error without Blake," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said afterward. "Without him, this group knows we have to play very well to win games, and very hard, and I think you can see that."
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KENS (San Antonio), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE SPURS (23-5): Small forward Kawhi Leonard averages 23.9 points and will certainly exploit some mismatch opportunities depending on how the Clippers utilize the different forward possibilities. Leonard recorded 21 points and five steals against the Rockets but wasn't thrilled about his career-worst seven turnovers. "Just basketball," Leonard told reporters. "(The ball) slipping out of my hand, dribbling off my toe, making the wrong pass. It's just the game. That's why you come back every game. It's humbling."
THE CLIPPERS (21-8): Veteran forward Paul Pierce moved into the starting lineup against the Nuggets but coach Doc Rivers said the personnel of the opponents will be the determining factor of who starts on a given night. He indicated forward Brandon Bass will get the call some games and guard Austin Rivers will draw the start when a smaller lineup is the best route. "It's always tough when your best player goes down," Austin Rivers told reporters. "But you just have to find a way. ... We're not going to change the way we play. "I would imagine we'll be up and down more. We'll go at a faster pace just because we don't have that post presence of throwing it in, kind of watching him do his thing."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Clippers rolled to a 116-92 road trouncing on the Spurs on Nov. 5 as Griffin contributed 28 points on 13-of-19 shooting.
2. Spurs backup SG Manu Ginobili (rest) won't play against the Clippers or Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
3. Los Angeles SG J.J. Redick scored 27 points against the Nuggets and matched his season best of seven 3-pointers.