Terance Mann recorded career bests of 25 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-103 in overtime in the regular season finale for both teams on Friday near Orlando.
14 August 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; The LA Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder kneel during the national anthem before the game starts at The Field House of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mike Ehrmann / Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports
Amir Coffey scored 21 career points before failing with 6.7 seconds left for the Clippers. Patrick Patterson had 17 points and 14 career-best rebounds, while JaMychal Green added 13 points and eight rebinds for Los Angeles (49-23).
Mann’s triple with 2:30 left gave the Clippers an advantage they wouldn’t give up.
Hamidou Diallo led the Thunder with 27 career points, while Dennis Schroder contributed 17. Schroder, who recently returned to the bubble after the birth of his second child, played his first game since August 1 when he scored 13. points in conquering the Utah Jazz.
Clippers rested Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams, Landry Shamet and Marcus Morris Sr. Clippers, guard Patrick Beverley (calf) missed his fifth straight race.
Center Montrezl Harrell (quarantine) didn’t play either, but ESPN reported that the sixth man of the year finalist could make his bubble debut on Monday for the first playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Thunder (44-28), who will open the playoffs against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, rested Chris Paul and limited the minutes of Steven Adams (six), Danilo Gallinari (nine) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (14).
Gilgeous-Alexander, the former Clipper, had 13 points and four rebounds before Thunder manager Billy Donovan replaced him early in the second quarter.
A Schroder triple midway through the second quarter gave the Thunder a 36-27 lead. Green’s triple cut the gap to four with 2:10 remaining in the fourth, but Schroder responded with a pair of threes, helping the Thunder to a 47-37 lead at half time.
In the third, Los Angeles scored 15 straight points after a Rodney McGruder triple and a bucket from Ivica Zubac with 7:24 left for a 52-49 lead.
By the end of the third, the Clippers increased the margin to 70-63. Los Angeles overtook Oklahoma City 33-16 in the fourth.
—Average at the field level
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