Clippers Lose to 111-107 to Spurs in OT; Series Tied 1-1

Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers takes a shot over Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs during the first half of Game Two of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on April 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

The Los Angeles Clippers lost 111-107 in overtime to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 at Staples Center on Wednesday night, leaving the series tied 1-1 as it heads to Texas.

Unlike the opening game of the series, the San Antonio Spurs did not fall behind early on Wednesday night. Instead, the visitors managed to keep a slight lead for most of the opening quarter. Tim Duncan led the way with eight points in the first quarter, and the iconic Spurs' forward would make his first six shots. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich foreshadowed Duncan's fast start during the pregame press conferences.

"[Duncan]'s steadiness, consistency and class really makes everyone look good--that includes the NBA and they know that," Popovich said. "He affects many lives in our community and on our team. He pays my bills."

Along with Duncan, Kawhi Leonard also got off to a hot start with seven points in the opening 12 minutes. Leonard led the Spurs with 18 points in the series opener, but as a whole, the team struggled and only 36.6 percent in that game.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich did not seem to respond well to the questions asked of him after Game 1 against the LA Clippers in the 2015 NBA Playoffs (Published Monday, Apr 20, 2015)

In the first quarter, the Spurs shook off that rust and started the game shooting 55.0 percent, and consequently, they carried a four-point lead into the second period. The Spurs would have held a larger lead, but Chris Paul started the game making four of his first five shots and looked determined to keep his team and crowd in the ball game.

Adding to Paul, Blake Griffin followed up his 26-point performance in Game One with 19 points in the first half of Game Two. Paul and Griffin accounted for 30 of the Clippers' 47 points at the intermission. Including the Clippers' third big star, DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers' top three players accounted for 38 of the Clippers' 47 first-half points.

At that stage, San Antonio led by five points despite shooting only 25 percent from beyond the arc. Duncan's 16 point, three assists and four rebounds had a great deal to do with the Spurs' advantage at halftime. The 38-year-old, whose future in the NBA remains uncertain, looked like he could play another five years at a high level, if he so chose.

In the third quarter, the Spurs finally found their range from distance. After missing eight of nine three-pointers in the second quarter, San Antonio hit three of seven shots from beyond the arc in the third quarter. The Spurs would jump out to a 10-point lead, but the Clippers would fight back and close the deficit to only three points entering the final quarter.

In the final 12 minutes, the Clippers would hit a rough patch of shooting to start the period, and the Spurs would again extend the lead to 10 points nearing the halfway point in the quarter. The home team would respond quickly by cutting the lead to only four points with five minutes to play at Staples Center.

Then, Popovich would choose to intentionally foul Jordan, and the Clippers' center missed his first three foul shots before draining his fourth free throw. With four minutes to play, the Clippers trailed by four points, but the Spurs would opt to foul Jordan again. This time, Jordan would hit both, and the Spurs and Clippers would suddenly be in a one-possession game. The "Hack-a-Jordan" did not appear to be helping the Spurs, as their 10-point lead evaporated.

After a parade to the free throw line, the Clippers would still trail by two points with three minutes to play. However, Manu Ginobili fouled out, and Tony Parker would not play down the stretch due to an Achilles issue. When J.J. Redick his a couple free throws with 2:03 to play, the Clippers and Spurs were level on the scoreboard.

Each team would take turns tasting the lead before Paul had a late look to win the game. His shot did not drop, and the two teams went to overtime.

In the overtime period, Parker's replacement, Patty Mills, starred with eight points, including four clutch free throws, that helped crush the Clippers' late overtime rally. Duncan would manage to play the entire extra period with five fouls. The face of the franchise for nearly two decades finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the game.

For the Clippers, Griffin finished with 29 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds in 47 minutes, but his late turnovers troubled the forward in his postgame press conference. Griffin finished with five turnovers for the game, including three in the fourth quarter and overtime. Paul would finish with 21 points, seven assists and eight rebounds in 43 minutes, but the point guard dejectedly focused on his missed shot at the end of regulation.

Next, the Clippers and Spurs play Game Three on Friday.

Published at 10:15 PM PDT on Apr 22, 2015

Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/Clippers-vs-Spurs-Game-2-301012661.html

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Mavericks and Spurs will go after LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency, per report

The star power forward might return to his native Texas once he enters free agency in the offseason.

Rumors about LaMarcus Aldridge potentially leaving Portland have been surfacing for a while. After a teammate said he believed there was a 50-50 chance that Aldridge could leave,ESPN's Marc Stein reports that two Texas teams, the Spurs and Mavericks, believe they have a shot to get him.

Before the seasonAldridge said in an interview that he wanted to re-sign and become the best Blazer of all time. Portland can offer him more money than anyone else, as well as the possibility to be in the playoffs year in and year out. That might not be enough for him, as the Trail Blazers have not been able to make the conference finals in his time there and look on their way to an early postseason exit after losing to the Grizzlies, 97-82, on Wednesday.

Wesley Matthews, Arron Afflalo and Robin Lopez are also becoming free agents, and if even one of them leaves, Portland would have to replace them with a quality piece or take a step back as a potential contender. There are a lot of variables at play, but it's looking more and more like Aldridge will at least listen to offers, which would make him one of the most sought-after free agents in the market.

The Mavericks and Spurs are good destinations. San Antonio could carve up enough cap room for a maximum contract without completely gutting its roster if Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili retire. Dallas could build a team around Aldridge with the cap flexibility they will have after this season.

So let's take a closer look at this potential return to Texas for the Dallas native.

Why it makes sense

Rumors about Aldridge returning to his home state have been around for a long time. He reportedly believed the city of Portland was too small for him and wanted to play in a bigger market. Dallas fits the bill. The other reason he was said to want out was because the Trail Blazers couldn't put a competitive team around him after injuries derailed the careers of Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. The Spurs have the best track record of success in the league in the past 20 years.

The Mavericks can offer him the chance to play next to Dirk Nowitzki and another free agent, as they will likely have a lot of cap room. The year after next, the cap is supposed to explode, so the Mavericks could add yet another piece. Then Dirk Nowitzki's and Chandler Parsons' contracts expire and would allow Dallas to rebuild its entire roster around Aldridge. Mark Cuban's willingness to spend and the Mavericks' ability to attract free agents could be huge selling points. Few teams can offer so much future flexibility while also offering the chance to make the playoffs in the short term. If the choice is between the Knicks or Lakers and the Mavericks, choosing Dallas seems like a no-brainer.

The Spurs don't have a typical big-market allure, but they could offer Aldridge the chance to join Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard as the third piece of an established core and would have Tiago Splitter, Patty Mills and potentially Danny Green on the roster as well. Slotting Aldridge in Duncan's spot in the starting lineup would mean instant contention as well as a chance to play next to one of the league's best young talents in Leonard and its best coach in Gregg Popovich. The fit would be perfect, as Aldridge would not have to defend centers. With Leonard in tow, the future would look promising.

Why it doesn't make sense

Aldridge is 29 years old and his next contract could be his last big one. He might be tempted to go for the biggest amount of money possible, as Carmelo Anthony did in New York, especially considering he has not made much from endorsements. The Blazers can offer that. If they retain all of their free agents, Portland will be a playoff team for the foreseeable future. All thing considered, Aldridge is in a good situation already.

Nowitzki is the Mavericks' starting power forward and that will likely remain the case even with his eroding skills. You don't send living legends to the bench. That means Aldridge would be slotted at center if he comes to Dallas. He can play there, but the grind of doing so for an entire season might take its toll and that team will likely struggle on defense. Unless the Mavericks already have another free agent committed to sign along with Aldridge, a move to Dallas doesn't move the needle in the short term as far as contending goes. Who knows what the future will bring?

The Spurs make more sense in terms of on-court fit, but if Aldridge wants to raise his public profile as it was reported, San Antonio is not the place for him. The Spurs love flying under the radar and Leonard is one of the quietest stars in the league. They don't promote their players for awards and don't always play along with the national media. It would be really hard for Aldridge to build his brand under those circumstances.

The Spurs would also have to make some sacrifices to carve out room for a maximum contract. One of Green, Boris Diaw or Splitter would have to be let go or traded, which would weaken their roster for the immediate future.

Likelihood of happening: 4/10

If Aldridge indeed leaves Portland, him landing with one of the Spurs or Mavericks makes much more sense than him signing with the Lakers, Knicks or any other team with cap space. There's a reason there have been persistent rumors about Aldridge wanting to go home, and Texas not having an income tax would make leaving millions on the table to make a move easier to swallow.

Aldridge staying with the Trail Blazers remains the most likely scenario, but if he leaves, one of the Texas teams will likely get him.

Source: http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/4/23/8478317/lamarcus-aldridge-mavericks-spurs-free-agency

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