Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

The Los Angeles Clippers (12-12) play against the Portland Trail Blazers (13-13) at Moda Center

Game Time: 10:00 PM EST on Monday December 6, 2021

Los Angeles Clippers 75, Portland Trail Blazers 71 (Q3 02:11)

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sean Highkin @highkin
Dennis Smith Jr. has had a good few games with Dame and Simons out. – 11:44 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Dennis Smith is doing a decent job scoring, but his passing has been extremely spotty – 11:44 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
A smooth finish.
📺 @BallySportWest | @Paul George pic.twitter.com/t2pAqFai9y – 11:43 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Ben McLemore (left hip pain) will not return to tonight’s game. – 11:42 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Serge Ibaka gets his first run since the first half of Saturday’s loss in Sacramento midway through the third quarter. – 11:39 PM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
Ben McLemore injured his hip and will not return. – 11:38 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Lue subs Hartenstein in for Zubac.
Hartenstein immediately picks up foul 4.
Here comes Serge Ibaka – 11:38 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
Ben McLemore (left hip pain) will not return to tonight’s game against the Clippers. – 11:37 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Paul George shooting by month:
October: 50%
November: 41%
December: 29%
Don’t like where this progression is headed. – 11:35 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Chauncey Billups is going to Nurkic inside like he’s a running back in a blizzard.
Clippers lose the lead after Nurkic bulldozes Zubac yet again. No one makes Zu look undersized like Nurk does.
Tie game at 62-62, 7:05 left in third quarter. Nurkic has 19 on 8/10 FGs. – 11:35 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
The exclusively Nurk-Norm offense is doing quite well against the Clippers. – 11:34 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
Feed the big fella!!
@Paul George @Ivica Zubac pic.twitter.com/9SQB2GE3GO – 11:31 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Marcus Morris Sr. has found some rhythm — after back-to-back 21-point games (in which he shot 14 for 22), he’s got 12 on 5-for-12 shooting in Portland tonight. – 11:29 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
DSJ.
TOUGH. pic.twitter.com/bZGGYgCssa – 11:14 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Blazers 49, Clippers 48 | Half | Chauncey’s reserves are playing hard tonight.
And the Clips are shooting 39% (they’re 8 for 14 in the paint, but 10 for 33 otherwise) and so they’re getting outscored 28-16 in the paint. Just 18 of Portland’s 43 shots have come outside the paint. – 11:14 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Center minutes will be interesting in second half for both teams.
Zubac was outplayed by Nurkic.
Nurkic is in foul trouble.
Hartenstein picked up 3 fouls in 6 minutes.
Zeller has game-high 6 rebounds.
Ibaka did not play in first half after not playing in second half Saturday. – 11:14 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
🔘🔘 pic.twitter.com/VcYroWHIQ8 – 11:10 PM Portland Trail Blazers PR @TrailBlazersPR
First Half Box Score: Trail Blazers 49, Clippers 48
statsdmz.nba.com/pdfs/20211206/… – 11:10 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Dennis Smith Jr.’s late-clock second-chance 3 gives Portland a 49-48 halftime lead.
Considering Portland’s personnel, a dreadful offensive first half for Clippers, who are shooting 38.3/28..6/60.0.
That said, they’re likely just better shooting from George/Morris away there. – 11:09 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Close contest at the half.
#RipCity pic.twitter.com/haJzqg5BBQ – 11:08 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
Blazers 49, Clippers 48: halftime. 18 points, 3 rebounds for @Norman Powell. 14 points, 3 rebounds for @Jusuf Nurkic. 7 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds for @Dennis Smith. – 11:07 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Halftime: Trail Blazers 49, Clippers 48
11 Portland turnovers have been turned into only eight points for LAC. – 11:07 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
An 18-point half from Norman Powell and some shockingly competent defense have Portland taking a 49-48 lead into halftime. – 11:07 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Hey, the Clippers scored on a lob! Mook to Boston: Four assists for Marcus, eight points for Brandon. – 11:07 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
ZuBLOCK! 😤
 📺 @BallySportWest | @Ivica Zubac pic.twitter.com/8x38iRa0aQ – 11:01 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
same, @Trendon Watford & @Greg Brown
@Jusuf Nurkic | @GEICO pic.twitter.com/vDRcYgDgEW – 11:00 PM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
Blazers are playing hard and scrappy. A lot of guys praised for their effort in the past are receiving more time. – 10:59 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Man that was a weak whistle on Covington. Thought he was totally vertical and Zubac created all the contact. – 10:54 PM Mike Richman @mikegrich
This is the Blazers best defensive lineup, right? DSJ, Norm, RoCo, Nance, Nurk. – 10:53 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
It’s not a Clippers game in autumn without a behemoth center splashing.
Nurkic follows up an and-one vs Zubac by making his first 3 in four games. He has a game-high 14 points and this game is tied at 36-36 with 6:48 left in first half. – 10:49 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
NURK TRIPLE – 10:47 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
With Lillard, McCollum and Simons all out, C.J. Elleby is getting some run as the Blazers’ **point guard**
It’s going about how you imagined. – 10:45 PM Portland Trail Blazers PR @TrailBlazersPR
First Quarter Box Score: Clippers 27, Trail Blazers 26
statsdmz.nba.com/pdfs/20211206/… – 10:43 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
🔘 pic.twitter.com/iCsrJ5uL01 – 10:42 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
DSJ making it happen on both ends pic.twitter.com/NDOuFuxo91 – 10:40 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Portland beating Clippers up on glass, as usual.
Clippers protecting the ball thus far, and 4 3s by Kennard and Boston have Clippers up 27-26 at the end of one.
Norman Powell has 12 points on 9 shots. – 10:39 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Clippers 27, Blazers 26 | End 1 | In his first start, Luke Kennard has 8 points in 8 minutes on 2-3 shooting (from 3). Brandon Boston with a couple of those buckets from deep for six points. – 10:39 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
The Amazing Sladek is following the Clippers, apparently. Was in Sacramento on Saturday, and has brought his chairs to Portland tonight. – 10:39 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Close one after 1.
#RipCity pic.twitter.com/auJsUsMZb8 – 10:38 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
Clippers 27, Blazers 26: end of first quarter. 12 points, 1 rebound for @Norman Powell. 6 points, 1 rebound for @Jusuf Nurkic. 2 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds for @Dennis Smith. POR shooting 48 percent, LAC 44 percent. – 10:38 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
First quarter: Clippers 27, Trail Blazers 26 – 10:37 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
The rookie makin’ it rain.
📺 @BallySportWest | @BJ Boston pic.twitter.com/B35k1K49ig – 10:37 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
Denied by @Ivica Zubac @Luke Kennard for three.
📺 @BallySportWest | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/itB4yw6Jti – 10:30 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Back-to-back 3s from Brandon Boston and the Clippers are up 22-15 (3:37, 1st). – 10:28 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Brandon Boston Jr. has five quick points for the Clippers. Like that move by Ty to substitute Luke’s offensive potential for Boston, while playing the rook alongside Zubac, Morris, PG, to mitigate his defensive shortcomings. – 10:28 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
N👌RM pic.twitter.com/htvaZGUG2u – 10:28 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
#Blazers have gone nearly 3 minutes without scoring during the Clippers’ current 10-0 run. LA leads 14-8 mid 1st qtr. – 10:23 PM Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Facing a Trail Blazers roster with only a handful of healthy players has been, so far, just what a sputtering Clippers offense has needed. 10-0 LAC run to lead 14-8. Clippers 6-8 shooting. – 10:21 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers are on a 10-0 run, and Jusuf Nurkic (scorer of first two Portland field goals) is in foul trouble.
14-8 Clippers lead through first 5 minutes of tonight’s game – 10:21 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
Nurk picks up two fouls — one on each end — in under a minute and that’ll bring in Cody Zeller early in the first quarter – 10:19 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Surprised they didn’t review this last Nurkic offensive foul. Caught Morris right in the face with an elbow. Wonder if league will upgrade to a flagrant-1 when they look at the tape tomorrow; replay looked … not great. – 10:17 PM Sean Highkin @highkin
Norman Powell just threw his mask on the floor three minutes into the game. Going without. – 10:16 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
Nurk starts out 3-3…has the #Blazers first 6 points of the night. – 10:14 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Gotta love the deflated reaction that happens when the pre-game hype video is immediately followed by the home team introducing Tony Snell and Dennis Smith Jr as the starting backcourt. Feels like there ought to be a seven-syllable German word for this. – 10:11 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
Pregame with PG.
🕖 7:00PM PT | 📺 @BallySportWest pic.twitter.com/vNnywDfCwJ – 9:57 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
#Blazers starting lineup tonight vs. the Clippers: Dennis Smith Jr, Norman Powell, Tony Snell, Robert Covington, and Jusuf Nurkic. #RipCity – 9:53 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Next man up mentality.
1⃣0⃣ @Dennis Smith
2⃣4⃣ @Norman Powell
1⃣7⃣ @Tony Snell
3⃣3⃣ @Robert Covington
2⃣7⃣ @bosnianbeast27
#RipCity | @stormxio pic.twitter.com/XDCKBlgtN5 – 9:51 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Khris Middleton just ran the Tony Snell play with Pat Connaughton.
That’s where things have progressed this season. – 9:48 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Joel Embiid was as dominant as he has been all season on Monday, and the Sixers escaped with a win over Charlotte as a result.
Plus, a quick update within on today’s Portland-related rumors: phillyvoice.com/sixers-hornets… – 9:43 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
It’s time. pic.twitter.com/SU8qbKUpb5 – 9:43 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
This will be the first time all season that either Mann or Kennard will start a game.
That means tonight’s second unit will be: Bledsoe, Boston, Mann, Ibaka, Hartenstein.
Tonight would be a good time for Boston to get his catch and shoot game going. – 9:36 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
🏀 #RipCity   vs @Los Angeles Clippers
7:00PM
📺 ROOT SPORTS Plus | https://t.co/yBftNpfldh
📻 @RipCityRadio620 pic.twitter.com/CBADPuat76 – 9:36 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Clippers break up the Terance Mann-Luke Kennard combo, start Jackson, Kennard, George, Morris, Zubac.
Looks like CJ McCollum is out tonight with Portland starting Dennis Smith Jr., Norman Powell, Tony Snell, Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic. – 9:34 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Clips at Blazers, Game No. 25, (3-5 on the road)
LAC
Paul George
Marcus Morris Sr.
Ivica Zubac
Luke Kennard
Reggie Jackson
POR
Tony Snell
Robert Covington
Jusuf Nurkic
Norman Powell
Dennis Smith Jr. – 9:33 PM Aaron J. Fentress @AaronJFentress
The Blazers will be without Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little tonight against the Clippers. – 9:31 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
Gettin’ loose.
🕖 7:00PM PT | 📺 @BallySportWest pic.twitter.com/xBvT3stgrW – 9:05 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
Get privy to the matchup vs. Portland.
#GetItLocked | @betwayusa – 9:00 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Tyronn Lue on matchup 4 of Clippers-Trail Blazers:
“Whichever team had the defensive presence and the defensive mindset to start the game won those games.” – 8:58 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Ty Lue on Bledsoe’s reaction to coming off the bench: “He was great, he’s professional, he wants to win. Said, ‘Whatever you want to do, Coach, I’m on board.’ ” – 8:35 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
CJ McCollum (rib contusion) has been downgraded from probable to doubtful for tonight’s game against the Clippers. #Blazers – 8:34 PM Sean Highkin @highkin
Blazers just downgraded CJ from probable to doubtful – 8:33 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Good to see you on the court, @Damian Lillard! pic.twitter.com/Hg9BWSEGET – 8:31 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
Nassir Little (sprained left ankle) will miss his fourth straight game tonight. Was listed as questionable on the Injury Report. – 8:28 PM Jay Allen @PDXjay
Damian Lillard (abdominal tendinopathy–injury management) is out tonight against the Clippers, but he is going through a pregame warmup here at Moda Center. Getting some threes up at the moment. – 8:27 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Chauncey Billups says that he “hopes” CJ McCollum (rib) plays tonight, but that he’s not sure. – 8:24 PM Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Billups: “We’re hoping CJ plays, but right now we’re not sure.” Also notes, it’s hard playing with Dame and Ant, who both will be out. – 8:24 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
Monday night fit check. pic.twitter.com/rKCcy4pDXA – 8:22 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Back here in Portlandia, where the Blazers and Clippers will meet for the 17th time this season. pic.twitter.com/T13fJze2UQ – 8:19 PM Casey Holdahl @CHold
Anfernee Simons is out for tonight’s game with a right ankle sprain, though he is going through a workout pregame. Wasn’t the case (as far as I know) before the Boston game. – 8:01 PM Los Angeles Clippers @LAClippers
📍 City of Roses
🕖 7:00PM PT | 📺 @BallySportWest pic.twitter.com/waaj0pohpX – 7:59 PM Greg Brown @gb3elite
It’s Game Day #RipCity Let’s Gooooooo!!! pic.twitter.com/sK25k64TJ8 – 7:48 PM Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
All-Defensive teams to start the year:
First Team
G – Alex Caruso
G – Mikal Bridges (idc idc idc)
F – Draymond Green
F – Giannis
C – Rudy Gobert
Second Team
G – Matisse Thybulle
G – Chris Paul
F – Paul George
F – Evan Mobley
C – Nikola Jokić
Let’s argue. – 7:34 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
I expect Portland to come out and play with an attitude tonight.
145 American points allowed Saturday against the Celtics.
Look at this man Payton Pritchard. Came back to the state of Oregon and treated garbage time like it was @portlandproam 💀💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/IoxOkVhzju – 7:34 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Tonight’s Gameday Poster:
🎨 by @j_stephen_lee pic.twitter.com/GyvBH1u16k – 7:02 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns next three:
Today vs. #Spurs (w/o Devin Booker: hamstring).
Friday vs. #Celtics.
Monday at #Clippers.
Toughest: Spurs. Won 4 straight, beat Warriors. 5-1 since Suns loss.
Easiest: Clippers. Rematch of WCF Suns won in 6.
Prediction: 2-1.
Agree? https://t.co/FhxB0esNiX pic.twitter.com/ZY5i8C6CYO – 5:30 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
From earlier — ASK IRA: Would/could Heat enter a Damian Lillard derby? sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 5:16 PM Portland Trail Blazers @trailblazers
Monday night hoops.
#RipCity pic.twitter.com/bvdfwbWULU – 5:06 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBA
A trade package built around CJ McCollum for Ben Simmons makes perfect sense for the Trail Blazers: pic.twitter.com/3oAUycSy7M – 5:01 PM Mark Murphy @Murf56
C’s continue to list Jaylen Brown as questionable heading into Lakers/Clippers swing. Udoka: “See how he feels after going harder today than he has in awhile, since he played in the games. Big picture approach, being cautious with it and getting him back at 100, not 85, 90.” – 4:45 PM Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
Column: Paul Allen’s Blazers have collapsed piece by piece. Jody Allen’s Blazers stand at the crossroads, staring at the possibility of a lost season when they can least afford it @PostSports https://t.co/KHm1F6cgD2 pic.twitter.com/ZVdnyHzng5 – 4:43 PM