Nba play-in, Los Angeles Clippers-New Orleans 101-105, Pelicans ai playoff

The infinite heart of the Clippers is not enough, once again mocked by fate with the absence of Paul George, included in the Covid protocol a few hours before the duo. In Los Angeles, coach Willie Green’s New Orleans Pelicans triumphed 105-101, completing the 2-0 in the play-in, qualifying as round of 16 in the Western Conference and will face the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs. A splendid game, an enchanting ups and downs of emotions. Los Angeles has given everything it had, perhaps even a little more, but Brandon Ingram and his teammates have shown, for the character and quality of basketball, that they deserve this opportunity.

Welcome back

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The Pelicans thus return to the playoffs after 4 years (elimination in the 2nd round against Golden State) and they do so thanks to two personal victories, the latter marked by complicated moments on a technical and mental level. Coach Willie Green’s team, fabulous on the bench with their compelling determination, had started very well, with near-perfect offensive executions and a champion-trained Brandon Ingram (30 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists at the end), devastating from the mid-range. He touched +16 in the 2nd quarter but then got suffocated by the Clippers defense, also suffering from the small ball bravely performed by Tyronn Lue in the 2nd half. Los Angeles recovered, it even went up +13 at the beginning of the 4th period, and here the character of the Pelicans came out, who once would have raised the white flag at the first real difficulty. One possession at a time, they rebuilt their trust and turned difficulties into opportunities. Hence the dominance with offensive rebound (17 total), signed above all by a monstrous Larry Nance Jr. (14 points and 16 rebounds, of which 7 offensive), and the tail shot in the three-point shot, deficient for both teams, with rookie Trey Murphy, ultra decisive with his 4/6 from the arc. The Pelicans won it with clarity and compactness, after a horrible 3rd quarter that seemed to have killed them basketball. The 10-0 run in the last 5 ‘is already history. New Orleans deserved the playoffs.

Clippers wholeheartedly

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What about these Clippers? Losing Paul George was a huge blow to absorb but Coach Lue’s team did an exceptional job of giving themselves a chance to subvert this negative inertia. The audience pushed, dragged by the constant pressure on the ball by Nicolas Batum (moving) and teammates and by their desire to challenge every single shot. Defense under the skin, courage and recklessness in attack. Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson, 27 points each, did their best to give depth to the attacking half but in the end they lacked the construction of good shots and, perhaps, even a bit of physical brilliance. It is difficult to criticize these guys, who have kept the consequences of their adversities at bay all season and obtained 42 victories as well. Out with your head held high, but still out. The Clippers are cursed.

The match

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New Orleans begins the game beautifully, motivated by the stakes and further galvanized by the absence of Paul George. Patient, confident and with rational reading. Ingram scores 16 points with 8/9 shooting in the 1st quarter alone and the Pelicans even go up to +16 in the 1st half (45-29). Los Angeles does not disunite and shortens in the final part of the 2nd period, reaching -10 (56-46) at the interval. The game changed completely in the 3rd quarter, with the Clippers dominating in defense. The attack benefits, inspired by Jackson and Morris, and the team of coach Lue even manages to go on +13: a crazy comeback (38-18 in the 3rd). Los Angeles shows up in the last 12 minutes with an 84-74 lead. “You have to fight” coach Willie Green shouts during a timeout at the beginning of the 4th period and New Orleans executes: 14-1 half-time and equal to 88 with 7 ‘from the end. The Pelicans believe in it all the way and in the final they find the baskets, the defensive stops and the single plays that concretize the counter-comeback.

The Angels: Morris 27 (9/20, 4/11 da tre, 5/7 tl), Jackson 27, Powell 17. Rimbalzi: Batum 10. Assist: Jackson 8.
New Orleans