Ty Lue Highlights Darius Garland’s Late Shot-Making in Clippers’ Overtime Loss

Darius Garland gave the LA Clippers a chance to close out the Miami Heat on Wednesday. After a 117-116 overtime loss at Intuit Dome, coach Ty Lue credited the guard for making big shots down the stretch and pointed to an open look for Max Strus that could have changed the result.

The Clippers had led by as many as 17 points and went ahead again in overtime.

Garland finished with 26 points and seven assists, shooting 10 for 14 from the field and 4 for 6 from 3-point range. Klay Thompson scored 30 points for Miami and made eight 3-pointers, including the one that put the Heat ahead for good.

Asked about Garland’s ability to close after other Clippers had contributed earlier, Lue focused on what his point guard produced once the game tightened.

“He made some huge shots down the stretch,” Lue said.

Garland played more than 39 minutes and had seven of the Clippers’ 30 assists. He also committed six turnovers, a costly part of an otherwise efficient night. The Clippers shot 47.8% from the field and made 16 3-pointers, so they found plenty of offense when they got a shot up.

Lue’s answer about Garland also brought the conversation to a possession that ended with somebody else taking the shot. Strus had room in the corner, a look Lue was comfortable with in that situation. It missed. At the other end, Thompson made the shot that decided the game.

The two shots gave Lue a way to talk about how the Clippers played in overtime. Garland had already shown he could make a difficult basket late, and the Clippers still found an open shooter on the perimeter with the game on the line. Lue felt his team had played well enough to win and encouraged the group to stick with what had produced those chances.

That distinction matters for a Clippers team that fell to 1-7. In a one-possession game, it can be tempting to judge every late decision by whether the ball went in. Strus getting an open look in the corner was a possession Lue could live with. The possessions that ended before the Clippers could take a shot were harder to get past.

Garland’s seven assists also mattered to the way the Clippers closed. His ability to score off the dribble gives defenders a reason to step toward him, and every extra step toward the ball can open space for a teammate.

With Garland shooting as well as he did Wednesday, the Clippers had reason to keep putting the ball in his hands. Getting through those possessions cleanly would give them more chances to use the pressure he puts on a defense.

The Clippers had already shown they could score enough to build a lead against Miami. What they can take from the finish is that Garland gave them an option when the game slowed down, and their offense still produced a clean look for a teammate with the outcome in the balance.