Clippers open their new home with a tough loss to the Phoenix Suns

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, center, gets the fans on their feet before Wednesday’s game against the Suns. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The show began Wednesday night with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer standing with fans on the East side of his palace called Intuit Dome in an area known as “The Wall.” Ballmer did a frenetic dance with those fans inside his $2-billion venue before he took the microphone.

“Welcome home, Clippers Nation,” Ballmer bellowed.

Indeed, this is the Clippers’ new home after spending 25 years at Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena, sharing it with the Lakers and the NHL’s Kings.

It was the Clippers’ first regular-season game in Inglewood and it came without their biggest star, Kawhi Leonard, who missed the game because of recurring inflammation in his right knee. They were also missing their second-best player in Paul George, who bolted to the Philadelphia 76ers over the summer.

So, it was up to Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, star James Harden and a defense they have boasted about all preseason to be what mattered the most.

A view of the Intuit Dome before Wednesday’s game. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The curtain came down on the Clippers for good after they were unable to deliver in the clutch, dropping a 116-113 game in overtime to the Suns.

Harden had 29 points, but he was just 10-for-28 from the field, and ended the game missing an important free throw and had eight turnovers.

Harden missed the second of two free throws with 4.8 seconds left, leaving the Clippers down by one point in the extra five minutes of play.

After Jusuf Nurkic made two free throws for a three-point Suns lead, Harden couldn’t handle an inbounds pass from Amir Coffey, leading to another turnover and the end of the game.

The game against the Suns in their own building was called a “huge day for Clippers basketball” by Lue.

“I’m very happy for our fans, happy for our players, happy for the organization,” Lue said. “And you see the arena speaks for itself. There’s none better in the world.”

When Lue was asked for an update on Leonard, he said it was the same as last week when the Clippers said the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clippers-open-home-tough-loss-051439490.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-10-24 05:14:00

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