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The Clippers’ Reggie Jackson shoots in front of the Wizards’ Russell Westbrook during the first half of Thursday’s game in Washington. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (4) goes to the basket past Los Angeles Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) and guard Terance Mann (14) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley (21) passes the ball against Washington Wizards guard Garrison Mathews (24) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) goes to the basket against Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. Leonard was called for a foul on the play. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) goes to the basket against Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. Leonard was called for a foul on the play. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Washington Wizards center Moritz Wagner (21) and Los Angeles Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Washington Wizards center Moritz Wagner (21) and Los Angeles Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) passes the ball next to Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (4) handles the ball between Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) and center Ivica Zubac, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Washington Wizards reacts against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots against Washington Wizards center Moritz Wagner, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) loses his grip on the the ball against Washington Wizards guards Bradley Beal, left, and Russell Westbrook (4) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers shoots against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Patrick Beverley #21 of the Los Angeles Clippers dribbles past Russell Westbrook #4 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers drives in the lane against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers is guarded by Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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The Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard is fouled by the Wizards’ Rui Hachimura during the first half of Thursday’s game in Washington. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Ivica Zubac #40 of the Los Angeles Clippers battles Raul Neto #19 of the Washington Wizards for a rebound during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Washington Wizards celebrates with teammate Bradley Beal #3 against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Terance Mann #14 of the Los Angeles Clippers passes to teammate Ivica Zubac #40 around Robin Lopez #15 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards reacts against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Luke Kennard #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers shoots in front of Deni Avdija #9 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers looks on against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Los Angeles Clippers collides with Moritz Wagner #21 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Los Angeles Clippers collides with Moritz Wagner #21 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards and Patrick Beverley #21 of the Los Angeles Clippers look on during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Lou Williams #23 of the Los Angeles Clippers shoots in front of Robin Lopez #15 of the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards shoots in front of Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers dribbles in front of Garrison Mathews #24 of the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards dribbles past Nicolas Batum #33 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Washington Wizards and Reggie Jackson #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers battle for a loose ball during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Russell Westbrook #4 of the Washington Wizards and Reggie Jackson #1 of the Los Angeles Clippers battle for a loose ball during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) grabs the ball in front of Washington Wizards center Robin Lopez (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams (23) shoots against Washington Wizards center Robin Lopez (15) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots against Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (8) and guard Raul Neto (19) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, left, fouls Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (8), of Japan, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. Clippers center Ivica Zubac, front right looks on. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Davis Bertans #42 of the Washington Wizards and Patrick Beverley #21 of the Los Angeles Clippers collide during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards is guarded by Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum (33) reacts after he was called for a foul during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers at Capital One Arena on March 04, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Look out below, there went the Clippers skidding into the All-Star Break on their first three-game losing streak of the season.
Now, before they reconvene again to take on Golden State on March 11 at Staples Center, they’ll have a full week to stew – or, if they heed Tyronn Lue’s advice, to try and forget about their recent swerve in the wrong direction.
“Yeah, that (stuff’s) over,” the Clippers’ coach said after Thursday’s 119-117 loss to the Washington Wizards, insisting he saw a silver lining in the past couple losses, each of which featured one or the other of the team’s superstars being scratched from participating right before tip-off.
On Thursday, Paul George was removed from the starting lineup just before the jump, unavailable on account of dizziness, the team said. Kawhi Leonard was scratched at the last moment Tuesday because of back spasms in Boston, where Marcus Morris Sr. suffered a first-half concussion that kept him out Thursday.
Considering all that, Lue said he was heartened by his team’s effort, if not by its execution: The Clippers had a season-high-tying 19 turnovers, saw their 16-point second-quarter lead dissipate in what felt like a few blinks and, for good measure, experienced another crunch-time stumble.
“I thought we did a good job of competing,” Lue said. “Other guys stepped up. Luke (Kennard) played well tonight. I thought Terance Mann made a couple of big 3s.
“We got to put it behind us,” he added. “The biggest thing is we got to come back after break healthy with the mindset that we got some games that we got to make up and we got to be ready to compete.”
They did manage to play it close in each of their past three losses, each of which provided them live-game practice in those “clutch” minutes they’d been lacking.
The Clippers (24-14) went into Sunday’s game in Milwaukee having played only 33 minutes that qualified as clutch (coming in the final five minutes when the point differential was five points or fewer).
In the three games since, they logged 12 such minutes – none of them inspiring much confidence in the state of their late-game execution: With the game in the balance in that span, L.A. shot 4 for 21, and just 3 for 15 from 3-point range.
On Thursday, the Clippers went 1 for 6 in four clutch minutes (and 1 for 4 from deep, with Leonard drilling a shot from the top of the key to make it 116-115 with 15.7 seconds left).
But the Clippers liked their looks down the stretch, and they managed this time to frequent the free-throw line, converting all six of their foul shots to keep it close.
“I think tonight was good,” Leonard said in brief postgame comments before he headed to Atlanta with George to play on opposing teams in the All-Star Game. In a televised draft Thursday, Kevin Durant selected Leonard among his team’s starters before LeBron James picked George 10th among the reserves for his side.
“We made shots, we got some good looks at it, but we wasn’t able to get no stops,” Leonard added, making reference to the Wizards’ 17 points in the final 5:03, when they went 8 for 10 from the free-throw line.
“We just gotta keep being consistent like this in knowing what we’re gonna do in the fourth quarter.”
For a short time in the second quarter, it looked as though the Clippers might avoid more nail-biting practice. They’d built that 16-point advantage with 1:28 to play before halftime, but within 86 seconds, it was down to 61-54.
It evaporated entirely three minutes into the third period, when Washington (14-20) went ahead 64-63, setting up another back-and-forth (there were 14 lead changes, all told) to close the Clippers’ five-game trip.
Leonard scored 14 of his 22 points in the first half. Saddled by foul trouble, he played just 16 minutes in the second half and shot 1 for 7 from the field.
But the Clippers’ bench – sparked by an aggressive Kennard, who finished with a team-best plus-23 in the box score in his first substantial action since Feb. 15 – helped keep them within striking distance.
All four reserves who played scored in double figures, led by Lou Williams (16); Kennard and Mann both scored 14 points and Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 13 rebounds for his league-leading seventh double-double off the bench.
Reggie Jackson stepped into another spot start, this time for George, and followed Tuesday’s 25-point effort with 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting against the Wizards. Patrick Beverley went 3 for 5 from long range for 17 points.
Nicolas Batum made three free throws and hit a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter for six of his nine points.
All-Star Bradley Beal, the NBA’s leading scorer, paced Washington – which split its season series with the Clippers – with 33 points (going 14 for 15 from the free-throw line). Russell Westbrook contributed 27 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists to help the surging Wizards (14-20) win for the eighth time in 11 games.
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