LOS ANGELES (Sporting Alert) — The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers face-off in a pivotal Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals series on Tuesday night.
TNT Overtime will provide live streaming coverage of this game from LA, starting at 9:30 CT.
San Antonio and LA Clippers are locked at 2-2 in the series and the two Western Conference powerhouses are determined to take a step closer of eliminating each other and move on to the conference semis.
In Game 4 on Sunday, Chris Paul scored 34 points and seven assists in the Clippers’ 114-105 victory and the All-Star point guard hopes the team can continue that run in the fifth game.
Paul also admitted that they do not want a repeat of the 100-73 performance that ended in a disappointing defeat in Game 3 on Friday.
“We tried to come out aggressive, on both ends, offensively and defensively,” he told the team’s official website.
“We’ve got to find a way to not let things like Game 3 happen for us, and respond like this. The great teams come out that way regardless, and hopefully we learned something.”
Paul was well supported on Sunday by Blake Griffin, who ended with 20 points and 19 rebounds, while DeAndre Jordan finished with 14 boards and four blocks for Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the defending champions San Antonio knows that the Clippers do not have a good record when playing in Game 5 and 6.
In fact, according to ESPN Stats, Doc Rivers side is 1-7 in Games 5 and 6 since returning to the playoffs in 2012 and the travelers will look to take advantage of that disastrous run.
Kawhi Leonard was the main contributor for the Spurs in Game 4 with 26 points, while Tim Duncan added 22 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in the defeat.
San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich was happy with Leonard’s offensive contribution, but the veteran coach expects more from the Defensive Player of the Year along with Danny Green, in guarding the Clippers’ players, especially J.J. Redick, who shot 50 percent from the field in Game 4 after struggling in Game 3.
“No matter who we had on him, both Kawhi and Danny, didn’t do a very good job of playing him the way he needs to be played,” Popovich said.
“So he had the better of them through the whole evening for sure.”
Also in action on Tuesday night, is the Game 5 battle between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets.
The Mavericks (1-3) are in a win or go home situation on Tuesday night and they will need another demanding performance like Game 4 if they are to extend their season.
Monta Ellis inspired the Mavs with 31 points, while J.J. Barea added 17 and Dirk Nowitzki and Al-Farouq Aminu each finished with 16 in the victory.
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