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Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, center, drives to the basket between Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, and Mfiondu Kabengele during the first half of Thursday’s preseason game at Staples Center. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (10) grabs a rebound next to Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley (21) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) is defended by Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half of of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) shoots over Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, right, shoots over Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder signals during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George, left, shoots over Utah Jazz guard Shaquille Harrison during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, left, drives to the basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue yells from the bench during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Utah Jazz Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Clippers guard Paul George, right, is defended by Utah Jazz forward Royce O’Neale during the second half of Thursday’s preseason game at Staples Center. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, left, goes up for a dunk as Los Angeles Clippers forward Mfiondu Kabengele (25) defends during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Reggie Jackson (1) dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, left, shoots over Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley (21) dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang, left, grabs a rebound next to Los Angeles Clippers forward Mfiondu Kabengele during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley, left, is defended by Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, shoots over Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (10) passes as Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George, defends during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue yells from the bench during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Utah Jazz Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) is defended by Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
]LOS ANGELES — The Clippers are cramming to master as much of new coach Tyronn Lue’s curriculum as possible before Tuesday’s test against the Lakers counts for credit.
Basketball is a group project, of course, so in Thursday’s final preseason practice test against Utah, the focus was to be on vocabulary and speech.
“The biggest thing for me right now is our communication,” Lue said. “I think when you’re trying to learn a new system, the biggest thing that fails is your communication. You don’t know how tough the coverage is because you don’t quite know what you’re supposed to be doing.”
Before the Clippers took the court on Thursday night for their first and only home preseason game in fan-less Staples Center, Lue said he felt that his team’s communication improved following their two preseason losses to the Lakers last weekend, helped by a few days of productive practice.
“It’s getting better,” he said. “I know these last days of practice have really been good as far as our communication, talking our coverages. When you’re the loudest talking team on the floor, usually you get things done, and you kind of intimidate the other team by just talking and communicating, letting the other team know that you’re in help side … we’re getting better at it.”
Marcus Morris Sr. (knee soreness) was on the court working on his game beforehand, but he missed his third preseason game. Serge Ibaka also made a pregame appearance, putting up shots, but like Patrick Patterson, he was sidelined Thursday. Ibaka was experiencing lower back soreness and Patterson was out with a right elbow hyperextension, the Clippers reported.
Without them, the Clippers dropped their final game of the preseason, losing to Utah, 125-105, and finishing 0-3 in dress rehearsals.
“I think we’re doing a fine job behind closed doors at practice,” said Lou Williams, who scored 12 points and went 3 for 5 from the field Thursday (and 12 for 15 for the preseason). “I think we’re farther along than these preseason games have shown. So I just look forward to the real games starting.”
Paul George played 25 minutes and continued to look sharp – and his shoulders strong – in the early going, driving and creating contact en route to 16 points, including going 8 for 9 from the free-throw line.
In 22 minutes, Kawhi Leonard finished with 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting; he also had two rebounds, two assists, a steal and four turnovers.
Off the bench, second-year center Mfiondu Kabengele played 25 minutes, holding his own against Utah defensive stalwart Rudy Gobert (12 points, eight rebounds) for much of it, finishing with two blocked shots and eight points – and two 3-point baskets.
Luke Kennard also provided L.A. with some bounce off the bench, scoring 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting, including making 3 for 4 from beyond the arc.
But, defensively, the Clippers struggled to do much to negate Utah’s 3-point shooting. After the Lakers shot 18 for 25 (72 percent) from 3-point range in their victory over the Clippers on Sunday, the Jazz fired at will from deep, attempting 52 3-pointers – and connecting on 24 of them (46.2 percent).
Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic led six Jazz scorers in double figures with 20 points apiece.
THE LEFTY-RIGHTY
Kennard is left-handed … when he’s shooting the basketball.
He’s right-handed when he’s, say, throwing a football.
And he’s ambidextrous when he’s making plays on the hardwood, able to dish with either hand.
It’s kind of a positive thing, he said.
“Just being able to come off of screens and passing the ball and playmaking with both hands, it’s been kind of like a positive thing in my game since I’ve been playing basketball,” said the new Clippers guard, acquired from Detroit via a three-team trade on the night of the NBA Draft.
“I grew up playing football, I played quarterback, and I throw right-handed. So I’m pretty confident and strong with my right hand, most of the things that I do – I just kind of shoot left-handed.”
Kennard says he makes it a point to practice making plays with both hands and getting up shots from close range with both hands.
“So, yeah,” said Kennard, slightly revising his statement. “It’s definitely a positive thing.”
GOOD NEWS
Reggie Jackson and George have been good friends for years now, so when George signed a years-long contract extension to stay with the Clippers in Southern California, it warmed his buddy’s heart.
Jackson – who re-signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal – lit up this week when asked about George’s four-year, $190 million extension.
“Much deserved,” said Jackson, a point guard who is entering his 10th NBA season. “He works extremely hard, one of the greatest people you’ll meet, very humble, very loving, very welcoming, hard-working. Honestly one of the hardest workers I’ve been around, so he deserved everything that’s come his way.”The best part, Jackson said, was that George gets to play the game he loves in close proximity to those he loves.
“His family, I’m happy for them as well,” Jackson said. “To sign on and lock up somewhere where he wants to be, where his family can really be an integral part, especially these years, these formative years of his life. So it’s been great just to see, more so off the court being around his family and getting to understand that now, he doesn’t have to go to a different city and play anywhere else. He can have more family time and they can all be together, friends and family, we can all continue to support him, so I’m happy for him.”
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