Final: Clippers 113, Celtics 93 - Another rough night leads to second straight loss

Game 28: Celtics (-4.5) at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m., Crypto.com arena, NBCS Boston/NBA TV

Injuries: 

Boston: Danilo Gallinari, Robert Williams, Al Horford (personal reasons)

Los Angeles: Norman Powell (left groin strain), Ivica Zubac (questionable, right groin)

Clippers projected starters: John Wall, Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris, Kawhi Leonard

Refs: Pat Fraher (#26), Ashley Moyer-Gleich (#13), Scott Wall (#31)

A little something about this game: The Clippers can barely score the ball but they have a really good defense. The Celtics can really score the ball and their defense has been their weak spot this season. It sets up an interesting showdown against an up-and-down team, but it’s also the first game back from an east coast swing for the Clippers, so that's generally a game where teams get into trouble. The Clippers are 6-2 with Leonard in the lineup.

How Boston wins: The Clippers 8th in the NBA when it comes to defending the rim, and their third in the NBA in opponent corner 3-point field goal percentage. The Celtics are the best above-the-break 3-point shooting team in the league, so if they work the ball around, they can find open looks that they generally make. The Clippers also give up a bunch of mid-range, so this could be a great night for Jaylen Brown to keep his roll going. 

How the Clippers win: Their bench can put up some numbers, coming into the game with the 8th-best offensive rating in the league, but in losses, their bench is getting outscored by about 5 points per 100 possessions. The Clippers aren’t going to wow anyone with their offensive prowess right now, but if they get 8 guys in double figures, they're probably going to win.

Things I’m looking for:

- Back to basics: We need to see the Celtics with 25 assists. We need to see the Celtics move the ball. We need to see them bounce back from their detour in Golden State with a reminder to everyone of what they're capable of. 

- Bench recovery: Everyone had a bad night in San Francisco, so the role players have to find their way into a groove as well. Sam Hauser has only hit multiple 3-pointers once in his last six games, shooting 28.5% over that stretch. It would be nice to see him snap out of that.

- Derrick White’s shooting: I’ve come to the determination that White’s shooting is the bellwether for whether Boston’s offense is clicking. If he is shooting poorly, there's a good chance the Celtics have not been moving the ball well enough for him to get the right looks. When he shoots well, it’s part of an offense that humming. So let’s see if he can get back on track, and if that's a result of the Celtics getting the ball moving again. 

Follow along below or in the comments during the game, chime in, and let’s have fun.