Game ID: 22400451
LA Clippers @ San Antonio Spurs
Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
SAS 31 32 28 31 122LAC 17 26 20 23 86
LAC @ SAS ScoutingLAC @ SAS Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
SAS availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 4 since 12/13, out tonight
BACK Wembanyama back 12/08 after 2, 32 min since (97% of 33)
BACK Johnson back 12/19 after 2, 25 min since (105% of 24)
BACK Jones back 12/19 after 6, 16 min since (99% of 16)
NEW Sochan 25 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Champagnie 24 to 29 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/25 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 5 since 12/13, out tonight
BACK Johnson back 12/19 after 2, 24 min since (100% of 24)
BACK Jones back 12/19 after 6, 15 min since (96% of 16)
NEW Sochan 25 to 32 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/27 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 6 since 12/13, out tonight
OUT Wesley missed 2 since 12/23, out tonight
OUT Mamukelashvili missed 2 since 12/23, out tonight
BACK Johnson back 12/19 after 2, 22 min since (94% of 24)
BACK Jones back 12/19 after 6, 16 min since (97% of 16)
NEW Sochan 25 to 32 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/29 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 7 since 12/13, returns tonight: 7 min (56% of 12)
OUT Wesley missed 3 since 12/23, out tonight
OUT Mamukelashvili missed 3 since 12/23, out tonight
OUT Bassey missed 2 since 12/25, returns tonight: 5 min (45% of 10)
BACK Johnson back 12/19 after 2, 23 min since (97% of 24)
BACK Jones back 12/19 after 6, 16 min since (98% of 16)
NEW Sochan 25 to 33 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 12/31 · 1 day's restOUT Wesley missed 4 since 12/23, returns tonight: 9 min (73% of 12)
OUT Mamukelashvili missed 4 since 12/23, returns tonight: 8 min (71% of 11)
BACK Collins back 12/29 after 7, 7 min since (56% of 12)
BACK Bassey back 12/29 after 2, 5 min since (45% of 10)
NEW Sochan 25 to 32 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 1/03 · 2 days' restBACK Collins back 12/29 after 7, 12 min since (99% of 12)
BACK Wesley back 12/31 after 4, 9 min since (73% of 12)
BACK Mamukelashvili back 12/31 after 4, 8 min since (71% of 11)
BACK Bassey back 12/29 after 2, 5 min since (50% of 10)
NEW Sochan 25 to 30 min over the last 5
SAS availability going into 1/04 · back-to-backBACK Collins back 12/29 after 7, 13 min since (107% of 12)
BACK Wesley back 12/31 after 4, 9 min since (73% of 12)
BACK Mamukelashvili back 12/31 after 4, 8 min since (71% of 11)
BACK Bassey back 12/29 after 2, 5 min since (50% of 10)
SAS availability going into 1/06 · 1 day's restOUT Wesley missed 2 since 1/03, out tonight
OUT Mamukelashvili missed 2 since 1/03, out tonight
BACK Collins back 12/29 after 7, 12 min since (102% of 12)
BACK Bassey back 12/29 after 2, 5 min since (45% of 10)
SAS availability going into 1/08 · 1 day's restOUT Wesley missed 3 since 1/03, returns tonight: 3 min (24% of 12)
OUT Mamukelashvili missed 3 since 1/03, returns tonight: 6 min (50% of 11)
BACK Collins back 12/29 after 7, 12 min since (102% of 12)
BACK Bassey back 12/29 after 2, 7 min since (66% of 10)
LAC availability going into 12/21 · 1 day's restOUT Mann missed 5 since 12/04, out tonight
BACK Jones Jr. back 12/19 after 2, 20 min since (85% of 24)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/08 after 3, 27 min since (137% of 20)
NEW Hyland 11 to 21 min over the last 4
NEW Miller 11 to 19 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 12/23 · 1 day's restOUT Mann missed 6 since 12/04, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 2 since 12/19, out tonight
BACK Jones Jr. back 12/19 after 2, 19 min since (79% of 24)
BACK Porter Jr. back 12/08 after 3, 27 min since (137% of 20)
LAC availability going into 12/27 · 3 days' restOUT Mann missed 7 since 12/04, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 3 since 12/19, out tonight
BACK Jones Jr. back 12/19 after 2, 20 min since (83% of 24)
LAC availability going into 12/30 · 2 days' restOUT Mann missed 8 since 12/04, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 4 since 12/19, out tonight
BACK Jones Jr. back 12/19 after 2, 22 min since (93% of 24)
LAC availability going into 12/31 · back-to-backOUT Mann missed 9 since 12/04, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 5 since 12/19, returns tonight: 17 min (156% of 11)
BACK Jones Jr. back 12/19 after 2, 24 min since (101% of 24)
NEW Powell 33 to 39 min over the last 5
NEW Dunn 24 to 30 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 1/02 · 1 day's restOUT Mann missed 10 since 12/04, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 12/31 after 5, 17 min since (156% of 11)
NEW Dunn 24 to 30 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 1/04 · 1 day's restOUT Mann missed 11 since 12/04, returns tonight: 16 min (81% of 20)
BACK Hyland back 12/31 after 5, 12 min since (110% of 11)
LAC availability going into 1/06 · 1 day's restBACK Mann back 1/04 after 11, 16 min since (81% of 20)
BACK Hyland back 12/31 after 5, 10 min since (89% of 11)
LAC availability going into 1/08 · 1 day's restOUT Bamba missed 2 since 1/04, returns tonight: 15 min (122% of 13)
BACK Mann back 1/04 after 11, 13 min since (65% of 20)
BACK Hyland back 12/31 after 5, 10 min since (89% of 11)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 104, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 30 and Vassell at 14 a game. One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 105, shooting 48 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Powell at 29 and Harden at 22 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Mann (9 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, the Clippers giving it away 17 times a game to San Antonio's 13. Call it San Antonio 110, the Clippers 107, the Clippers keeping it close.
12/23 @ PHI 106-111 — SAS notes
SAS lost 106-111. SAS shot 46% (37 of 81) to PHI's 42%, 15 of 45 from three. SAS turned it over 18 times to PHI's 9, and PHI turned those into 11 steals. Wembanyama led with 26 (9 of 19, 6 of 13 from three); Castle added 17, Sochan 15. Q4 was theirs, 31-27, the deficit cut from 9 to 5, but the other 3 periods went 84-75 against them. Vassell's -17 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/25 @ NYK 114-117 — SAS notes
SAS lost 114-117. SAS shot 51% (42 of 83) to NYK's 45%, 16 of 38 from three. SAS turned it over 15 times to NYK's 5. Wembanyama led with 42 (16 of 31, 6 of 16 from three); Sochan added 21, Paul 13. Q2 was theirs, 31-23, turning a 1-point deficit into a 7-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 94-83 against them.
12/27 @ BKN 96-87 — SAS notes
SAS won 96-87. SAS shot 41% (32 of 78) to BKN's 39%, 12 of 28 from three, and went to the line 27 times to BKN's 8 — 20 points from the stripe to their 5. Wembanyama led with 19 (7 of 14, 3 of 6 from three); Champagnie added 18, Johnson 15. The hinge was Q3, 33-21: from level to 12 ahead, and the lead reached 17. Champagnie was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
12/29 @ MIN 110-112 — SAS notes
SAS lost 110-112. SAS shot 44% (38 of 87) to MIN's 43%, 11 of 39 from three, and went to the line 28 times to MIN's 19 — 23 points from the stripe to their 15. The glass went 41-56 against them. Wembanyama led with 34 (13 of 30, 4 of 12 from three); Barnes added 24, Vassell 22. Q3 was theirs, 37-25, the deficit cut from 12 to 0, but the other 3 periods went 87-73 against them. They led by as many as 12. Johnson's -17 in 17 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/31 vs LAC 122-86 — SAS notes
SAS won 122-86. SAS shot 49% (48 of 98) to LAC's 34%, 9 of 40 from three. The glass went 58-41 for them. Wembanyama led with 27 (10 of 18, 1 of 6 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Johnson added 17, Castle 15. The hinge was Q1, 31-17: from level to 14 ahead, and the lead reached 41. Wembanyama was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
1/03 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 128 a night and allowing 124, shooting 53 percent and 39 from three, 24 free throws a game; Jokić at 30 and Murray at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Gordon (4 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 103, shooting 46 percent and 33 from three, 22 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 30 and Vassell at 13 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the defense, San Antonio allowing 103 a night to Denver's 124 and the arc, Denver at 39 percent from three to San Antonio's 33. Call it Denver 117, San Antonio 114, San Antonio keeping it close.
1/04 vs DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 102, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 31 and Vassell at 14 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 130 a night and allowing 125, shooting 52 percent and 41 from three, 22 free throws a game; Jokić at 33 and Murray at 23 a game. Without Gordon (5 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: San Antonio wins, and the game turns on the defense, San Antonio allowing 102 a night to Denver's 125 and the arc, Denver at 41 percent from three to San Antonio's 34. Call it San Antonio 117, Denver 115, Denver keeping it close.
1/06 @ CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Chicago comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 122, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 16 free throws a game; LaVine at 29 and White at 24 a game. Without Dosunmu (5 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 103, shooting 44 percent and 30 from three, 21 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 27 and Vassell at 15 a game. One day's rest.
So: Chicago wins, and the game turns on the defense, San Antonio allowing 103 a night to Chicago's 122 and the arc, Chicago at 39 percent from three to San Antonio's 30. Call it Chicago 116, San Antonio 115, San Antonio keeping it close.
1/08 @ MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Milwaukee comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 18 free throws a game; Antetokounmpo at 25 and Lillard at 20 a game. One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 109, shooting 45 percent and 29 from three, 18 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 28 and Vassell at 16 a game. One day's rest.
So: Milwaukee wins, and the game turns on the arc, Milwaukee at 36 percent from three to San Antonio's 29 and the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-3 a night and Milwaukee minus-3. Call it Milwaukee 113, San Antonio 110, San Antonio keeping it close.
12/21 @ DAL 97-113 — LAC notes
LAC lost 97-113. LAC shot 42% (34 of 81) to DAL's 45%, 10 of 37 from three. LAC turned it over 17 times to DAL's 11, and DAL turned those into 12 steals. Powell led with 28 (8 of 22, 3 of 11 from three, 9 of 10 at the line); Harden added 19, Porter Jr. 19. Q3 was theirs, 26-20, the deficit cut from 14 to 8, but the other 3 periods went 93-71 against them. Porter Jr.'s -16 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/23 @ MEM 114-110 — LAC notes
LAC won 114-110. LAC shot 44% (42 of 96) to MEM's 38%, 9 of 27 from three. Powell led with 29 (10 of 20, 4 of 8 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Harden added 21, Zubac 20. The hinge was Q3, 40-32: LAC came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 1. LAC trailed 51-58 at the half and won the second half 63-52. Zubac was the night's best plus/minus at +17.
12/27 vs GSW 102-92 — LAC notes
LAC won 102-92. LAC shot 53% (40 of 75) to GSW's 37%, 10 of 32 from three. LAC turned it over 21 times to GSW's 14, and GSW turned those into 14 steals. Powell led with 26 (10 of 20, 2 of 7 from three); Harden added 18, Zubac 17. The hinge was Q3, 32-19: a lead of 6 became 19. Powell was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
12/30 @ NOP 116-113 — LAC notes
LAC won 116-113. LAC shot 48% (41 of 86) to NOP's 51%, 13 of 37 from three, and went to the line 27 times to NOP's 14 — 21 points from the stripe to their 11. Powell led with 35 (13 of 27, 4 of 12 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Harden added 27, Zubac 20. The hinge was Q4, 29-23: LAC came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 3. LAC trailed 56-62 at the half and won the second half 60-51.
12/31 @ SAS 86-122 — LAC notes
LAC lost 86-122. LAC shot 34% (30 of 87) to SAS's 49%, 11 of 41 from three. The glass went 41-58 against them. Harden led with 17 (5 of 11, 2 of 6 from three, 5 of 6 at the line); Powell added 15, Coffey 14. Q2 was theirs, 26-32, but the other 3 periods went 90-60 against them. Harden's -27 in 25 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/02 @ OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 105, shooting 47 percent and 31 from three, 19 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 37 and Jal. Williams at 17 a game. That is 5 straight wins. Without Holmgren (22 straight), Caruso (4 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 110, shooting 44 percent and 30 from three, 22 free throws a game; Powell at 27 and Harden at 20 a game. They have lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Mann (10 straight). One day's rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, the Clippers giving it away 17 times a game to OKC's 10 and the glass, where OKC has been minus-1 a night and the Clippers minus-5. Call it OKC 114, the Clippers 104, OKC by 10.
1/04 vs ATL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 21 free throws a game; Powell at 22 and Harden at 21 a game. Without Mann (11 straight). One day's rest. Atlanta comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 122, shooting 47 percent and 35 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 27 and Johnson at 23 a game. Without Nance Jr. (3 straight), Wallace (2 straight), Gueye (27 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the turnovers, the Clippers giving it away 17 times a game to Atlanta's 12 and the defense, the Clippers allowing 111 a night to Atlanta's 122. Call it the Clippers 115, Atlanta 113, Atlanta keeping it close.
1/06 @ MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Minnesota comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 114, shooting 47 percent and 41 from three, 19 free throws a game; Edwards at 25 and Randle at 20 a game. That is 3 straight losses. One day's rest. The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 110, shooting 48 percent and 33 from three, 19 free throws a game; Powell at 20 and Harden at 18 a game. One day's rest.
So: Minnesota wins, and the game turns on the arc, Minnesota at 41 percent from three to the Clippers' 33. Call it Minnesota 110, the Clippers 109, the Clippers keeping it close.
1/08 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 19 free throws a game; Jokić at 36 and Porter Jr. at 21 a game. Without Gordon (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. The Clippers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 113, shooting 45 percent and 33 from three, 21 free throws a game; Powell at 20 and Harden at 19 a game. One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, the Clippers giving it away 16 times a game to Denver's 10. Call it Denver 116, the Clippers 112, the Clippers keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
SASBW B. Wesley
CB C. Bassey
CP C. Paul
DV D. Vassell
HB H. Barnes
JC J. Champagnie
JS J. Sochan
KJ K. Johnson
MB M. Branham
SC S. Castle
SC S. Cissoko
SM S. Mamukelashvili
TJ T. Jones
VW V. Wembanyama
ZC Z. Collins
LACAC A. Coffey
BH B. Hyland
DJ D. Jones Jr.
IZ I. Zubac
JH J. Harden
JM J. Miller
KB K. Brown
KD K. Dunn
KJ K. Jones
KP K. Porter Jr.
MB M. Bamba
NB N. Batum
NP N. Powell
SAS/LAC the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Spurs rout Clippers 122-86 behind 27 points from Wembanyama
SAN ANTONIO -- — Victor Wembanyama closed out a historic month with 27 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 26 minutes, and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 122-86 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Wembanyama is the first player in league history with 300 points, 100 rebounds, 50 blocks, 50 assists and 40 3-pointers in a single month.
Keldon Johnson added 17 points, and Stephon Castle had 15 for the Spurs.
Los Angeles had won three straight but were 11 for 41 on 3-pointers. James Harden led the Clippers with 17 points, and Norman Powell added 15.
Wembanyama had 17 points in the opening quarter, matching the Clippers total as a team. He only had four points in the second quarter, but two came on a dunk on a pass off the backboard from Chris Paul .
San Antonio captured a 25-point lead in the second quarter that swelled to 34 points in the fourth, enabling Wembanyama to exit from the contest with 8:39 remaining.
Takeaways Clippers: Los Angeles center Ivica Zubac was held to five points on 2-for-7 shooting.
Spurs: San Antonio forward Jeremy Sochan did not play in the second half after injuring his lower back in the second quarter. He exited with 1:20 remaining in the first half with four points and five rebounds in 15 minutes.
Key moment Wembanyama reached back and stuffed Zubac under the rim with 9:47 remaining in the opening quarter. Wembanyama would get the ensuing inbounds pass from Paul and drilled his only 3 of the game.
Key stat Wembanyama has at least one block and one 3-pointer in 24 straight games, the longest streak in league history. He also has a block in 67 straight games.
Up next The Clippers are at Oklahoma City on Thursday, and the Spurs are at Denver on Friday.