The LA Clippers had no need to win against the Portland Trail Blazers, their postseason seeding essentially set while the Blazers are fighting for their playoff lives. The pregame announcement that Kawhi Leonard would be sitting out (remember that the Clippers have a back-to-back tomorrow against Brooklyn) was a further indicator that the Clippers would not be putting their best foot forward.
But in the absence of one their stars, and a relatively light night for the other as Paul George only played 28 minutes, the Clippers’ effort did not falter.