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Clippers hold off Celtics in clash of depleted rosters

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You won’t want to put video of the Clippers’ 91-82 road victory over the Boston Celtics in a time capsule to share with future generations – unless, of course, your goal is to show those folks, who will hopefully never utter the words “health and safety protocols,” what an out-and-out grind the 2021-22 NBA season could be.

The Celtics were missing seven players, with six of them in health and safety protocols and Marcus Smart nursing a hand laceration

The Clippers, meanwhile, were down nine players in all, including their leading me Kawhi Leonard (ACL) and Paul George (elbow), as well as starting guard Reggie Jackson, who cleared health and safety protocols on Wednesday but will need some time to ramp up his conditioning before he competes again.

Also, rookie guard Brandon Boston Jr., who poured in 27 points to help the Clippers win, 114-111, in the Clippers’ first meeting with the Celtics on Dec. 8, was put into health and safety protocols on Wednesday morning.

Without all of those guys, the Clippers willed out a win in a clunker in which they shot 40.7% (33 for 81). That was better than the Celtics, who, confounded by the Clippers’ zone defense, shot 35% (35 for 101) and 9.5% from 3-point range (4 for 42) – and still the Celtics weren’t out of it until the final moments.

Eric Bledsoe, who scored 10 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, hit a 3-pointer with 2:05 left to give the Clippers an 86-78 lead, but Boston responded with a Jaylen Brown layup and a Robert Williams III dunk to trim the lead back to four points.

But then the pair of Clippers players with Massachusetts ties put it away.

Former Celtic Marcus Morris Sr. was fouled and drained both free throws to push the lead back to 88-82. Then he wrapped up a defensive rebound – his 10th – with 36.3 seconds left to set up the Clippers’ next scoring opportunity. And Terance Mann, who was playing in front of family and friends, former teammates and neighbors from nearby Lowell, Massachusetts, finished it off with a dunk and made a free throw.

Playing in the familiar confines – for him – of TD Garden, Morris led the Clippers with 23 points (and 10 rebounds). It was his seventh 20-plus point outing in nine games (with a four-game absence in protocols sandwiched between).

Mann, Bledsoe and Luke Kennard all chipped in with 17 points apiece for the Clippers.

Brown led the Celtics with 30 points and Williams added 16 in the loss. No one else in a Boston uniform exceeded nine points.

The Clippers improved to 18-17, snapping a two-game losing streak.

Boston fell to 16-19, its losing streak extending to three games.

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Clippers coach Tyronn Lue went miniature in the third quarter after Serge Ibaka’s nine shaky fist-half minutes (the backup center’s four turnovers contributed to the Clippers being outscored by 12 points in that span).

Lue played Xavier Moon, Amir Coffey, Justise Winslow, Kennard and Winslow together. No one in that group is taller than the 6-foot-7 Coffey or heavier than Winslow (222 pounds) – and the rookie newcomer Moon checks in at 6-2, 165.

Led by Kennard’s eight third-quarter points, that springy, fleet group held its ground and the Clippers took a 69-63 lead into the final period.

More to come on this story.

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