Rebounding woes hamper Clippers again in loss to Grizzlies

Brad Jones woke up Saturday learning he’d been promoted.

The text message arrived at 7:15 a.m. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins had entered the NBA’s COVID-related protocols. Jones was now acting coach for the day. A little more than five hours remained before a matinee against the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.

It was another in a series of setbacks that seemed to cast a cloud over the Grizzlies’ chances. Their electric point guard, Ja Morant, watched in street clothes because of a sore left thigh. Center Steven Adams, like Jenkins, was in COVID protocols. Then they allowed the Clippers to score a season-high 36 first-quarter points while losing starting guard Dillon Brooks to an ankle injury severe enough that he was carried into the locker room on the shoulders of two teammates.

It did not matter, because the Clippers’ own list of problems stretch much longer after a 123-108 Clippers defeat that was worse than the final score indicated. Coach Tyronn Lue inserted his out-of-rotation reserves with eight minutes still to play in the fourth quarter, resigned to saving energy ahead of another 12:30 p.m. tipoff Sunday against Atlanta.

After making eight of their first 12 three-pointers, and leading by 12, the Clippers made just two of their final 20 from deep and trailed by as many as 25.

Despite a season-high 29 points from Marcus Morris Sr. in just three quarters, there were no other reliable options to turn to for offense.

They have lost three consecutive games by at least 15 points and their solutions for their rebounding struggles appear nowhere to be found, even with center Ivica Zubac returning from a four-game absence after exiting the league’s protocols.

The Grizzlies’ 21 second-chance points were nine more than the Clippers and their 56 rebounds edged the Clippers by seven. Fans inside the arena audibly groaned in the second half after Memphis extended a possession twice with offensive rebounds.

Clippers guard Terance Mann, left, passes the ball in front of Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama during the first half Saturday.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Lue has warned for days that the Clippers’ rebounding woes will change when their guards decide to play more physically, but their wings often were left watching the ball while the Grizzlies smashed into position under the hoop.

Desmond Bane’s personal 8-0 run in less than 48 seconds to open the third quarter burst turned a four-point Grizzlies lead into a 12-point advantage, and out of the next timeout, Nicolas Batum threw a tired pass that was intercepted and turned into another three-pointer off of an assist by Bane.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 26 to lead the Grizzlies (27-14). Bane finished with 23 points.