The Sports Report: Clippers are routed by Memphis

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

Andrew Greif on the Clippers: The loss wasn’t solely an inside job.

The layups, floaters and breakdowns that allowed one damaging Memphis drive after another, along with 72 points in the paint against the Clippers on Thursday, were myriad.

On one third-quarter possession, Grizzlies guard Justise Winslow dribbled upcourt as the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and Reggie Jackson backpedaled, with Leonard pointing the coverage to stop the fast-break drive. Winslow coasted in for an easy layup and 13-point lead anyway, the defense parting as he neared the rim.

“Seventy-two points in the paint has got to be damn near a record,” coach Tyronn Lue said.

The Clippers could also trace their 122-94 defeat in Tennessee to an uncharacteristically hot shooting performance from an opponent that had made 16 three-pointers in its last three games while shooting 19% from deep in that span. Memphis made a season-high 57% (11 of 19) of their three-pointers Wednesday.

That didn’t entirely explain it either, though. From the start, Lue saw his team sleepwalking in Memphis.

“We didn’t have our energy,” Lue said. “I thought they were more aggressive than us.”

UCLA MEN’S BASKETBALL

Ben Bolch on the Bruins: As his team scraped its way to one taut victory after another, prevailing through grit and tenaciousness, coach Mick Cronin said it was no juggernaut.

UCLA surely looked like one Thursday.

The Bruins made Utah resemble five traffic cones draped in white-and-red jerseys, moving freely for open shots and getting pretty much everything they wanted.

Combining hot shooting with lockdown defense, UCLA rolled to a 76-61 victory at the Huntsman Center that represented a rare breather for a team that could use one from its high-wire act.

The Bruins (17-5 overall, 13-3 Pac-12) opened the second half with a 16-5 spurt to take a 19-point lead and were never seriously threatened on the way to their fourth consecutive victory.

Jules Bernard scored 19 points, making four of six three-pointers, and Johnny Juzang added 18 points, also making four of six three-pointers, for the Bruins, who were scorching from beyond the arc, making 11 of 19 shots (57.9%) from long range.

USC MEN’S BASKETBALL

Jeriah Horne hit a career-best six three-pointers on his way to 24 points, McKinley Wright IV had a career-high 14 assists and Colorado routed No. 19 USC 80-62 on Thursday night to sweep the season series.

Wright added 15 points for the Buffaloes (18-7, 12-6 Pac-12), who have won six straight against the Trojans (19-5, 13-4).

Already the school’s career leader in assists, Wright and his speed gave the Trojans fits all evening. His 14 assists tied for the second-most in program history. The record is 15 by Jose Winston against Coppin State on Jan. 2, 2001.

In an efficient performance, Colorado had 20 assists on 27 baskets.

RAMS

Gary Klein on the Rams: Like a quarterback amid a pass rush, Rams coach Sean McVay stood mostly firm in the pocket Thursday, and even absorbed a few self-inflicted hits.

Under NFL rules, McVay is prohibited until March 17 to speak publicly about the trade that sent quarterback Jared Goff and two first-round draft picks to the Detroit Lions in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford.

But questions about Goff came anyway during a 40-minute videoconference call with reporters. While McVay sidestepped a few, he answered others.

In June 2019, a few months after Goff helped lead the Rams to the Super Bowl, McVay said, “As long as I’m fortunate enough to be in this role, hopefully this guy is stuck with me for a long time.”

Less than two years later — and 17 months after the Rams awarded Goff with a contract extension that guaranteed $110 million — McVay and general manger Les Snead moved on from the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

“What I would say that I’ve learned over the last handful of years is things change by the day,” McVay said Thursday, “and you probably want to be careful making blanket statements when you can’t predict the future.”

But McVay acknowledged that Goff provided “really great leadership” while helping the Rams make the playoffs three times and advance to the Super Bowl.

“He did a great job of establishing himself in this league, the way he handled himself consistently day in and day out,” McVay said, “and all I can do is just be appreciative of that.”

“When you look back on the four years that we did have together, there’s a lot of times you can smile on,” McVay said. “And I would say there’s a lot of things that when I self-reflect, I certainly wish I was better for him in some instances. …

“I’m not going to run away from the things that I could have been better for him as a leader and as a coach. But there was a lot of really good things that occurred from ’17 and on that I think we can eventually really have a much better appreciation for.”

McVay, the Rams’ play-caller, said it was “an unfair narrative” to blame the quarterback “exclusively” for the Rams’ decreased production on offense.

“I have a big hand in that,” McVay said. “I have to be able to look myself in the mirror and acknowledge and be able to evolve and prove and take ownership in that. … I’m not going to run away from the blame.”

DODGERS

Jorge Castillo on the Dodgers: Corey Seager reported to spring training this week a World Series MVP, fresh off a historic tear under Major League Baseball’s brightest spotlight in October.

The Dodgers shortstop, healthy for the first time since 2017, solidified himself as one of the sport’s top offensive weapons again in 2020. He is perhaps the best hitter on arguably the deepest team in the majors with several prime years seemingly remaining.

It would, as a result, seem wise for the Dodgers to try to extend his contract before he hits free agency and other clubs bid for his services next offseason. But that appears unlikely at this point. Asked Thursday if he and the Dodgers have discussed an extension, Seager declined to delve into the topic.

“I don’t really want to talk about it, to be honest,” Seager said in a video conference with reporters.

“That’s not my focus. It’s never been about that. It’s always been about showing up that day and doing what you can to help the team. I don’t want the extra effort to have to talk about that in the media. I just want to go out and do my job and let the chips fall.”

SPARKS

Austin Knoblauch on the Sparks: Chiney Ogwumike, a two-time WNBA All-Star and former No. 1 overall pick, has re-signed with the Sparks ahead of the 2021 season, the team announced Thursday.

Ogwumike, 28, returns to the Sparks after opting out of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has averaged 13.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game since being drafted by the Connecticut Sun in 2014.

“I am hyped to be back with the Sparks,” Ogwumike said in a statement. “A lot of people say, especially when it comes to women, that we can’t have it all. But I’m trying to be living proof that we can, or at least come as close as possible. I want to win a WNBA championship with my sister, and I want to keep pushing boundaries off the court. I’m really grateful to be a part of an organization that works with me to change the game on and off the court.”

BASKETBALL

Washington Wizards standout and former UCLA star Russell Westbrook announced his foundation is partnering with L.A. Promise Fund to launch the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Academy for middle school and high school students in South L.A.

The newly formed partnerships seeks to create better educational opportunities for children living in South L.A. while preparing them for college and making them “active citizens committed to social change,” according to the announcement. People magazine reported that Westbrook is working with his wife Nina Earl and business partner Donnell Beverly on the project.

“Creating and supporting educational opportunities for underserved youth has always been a passion of mine,” Westbrook said in a statement. “It’s so important that every child has access to a good education regardless of their socioeconomic background.”

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1935 — Babe Ruth is released by the New York Yankees and signed by the Boston Braves.

1938 — Glenn Cunningham sets a world indoor records in 1500-meter race at the AAU nationals at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Cunningham finishes in 3:48.4.

1947 — Brothers Doug and Max Bentley lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 9-7 win over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Doug Bentley scores four goals and sets up two more goals. Max Bentley scores three goals and assists on another goal.

1960 — Dave Jenkins of the United States wins the figure skating gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, Calif.

1967 — Mario Andretti, better known for his accomplishments in open-wheel and USAC competition, wins the Daytona 500 pulling away from 1965 champion Fred Lorenzen in the closing laps. It’s Andretti’s his first and only NASCAR Grand National event. He is the only person born outside the United States to win the Daytona 500.

1968 — Thirty-two African nations agree to boycott the Olympics because of the presence of South Africa.

1981 — The Boston Bruins beat the Minnesota North Stars 5-1 in a game marred by fights. The teams set an NHL record with 84 penalties worth 392 minutes, and 12 players are ejected.

1987 — Michael Jordan scores 58 points, the most by a Chicago player in a regular-season game, to lead the Bulls over the New Jersey Nets 128-113. Jordan scores almost half his points from the free throw line, hitting 26 of 27.

1989 — Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux becomes the third NHL player to have 100 assists in a season, joining Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. Lemieux gets three assists and a goal in the Penguins’ 8-6 loss to the Hartford Whalers.

1994 — In Lillehammer, Norway, Vreni Schneider of Switzerland wins the slalom for the fifth medal of her career, the most of any woman in Alpine Olympic history.

2006 — Sweden beats Finland 3-2 to win the Olympic men’s hockey gold. Germany leaves Turin with the most overall medals with 29, 11 of them gold, while the Americans win 25 medals overall, including nine gold.

2007 — Roger Federer reaches a new milestone breaking Jimmy Connors’ 30-year-old mark with his 161st week at the top of the ATP rankings. Connors set his record from July 1974 to August 1977. The ATP rankings began on Aug. 23, 1973. Federer took the No. 1 spot on Feb. 2, 2004.

2012 — Pete Weber wins a record fifth U.S. Open bowling championship, throwing a strike on his final ball to beat Mike Fagan 215-214. Weber surpasses his father, Dick Weber, who won the tournament’s predecessor four times, as did Don Carter.

2012 — In Bansko, Bulgaria, Lindsey Vonn captures her fourth World Cup super-G race of the year and becomes the career leader in the discipline. By winning her 18th super G the American overtakes Austria’s Renate Goetschl for the record.

2018 — The U.S. Open changes to a two-hole aggregate playoff, the last of the four majors to do away with an 18-hole playoff.

2018 — The top-ranked UConn women’s team completes an undefeated regular season for the 10th time in program history with an 82-53 win over No. 20 South Florida. The Huskies (29-0, 16-0 American) are 98-0 in games against American Athletic Conference opponents. They are 86-0 in the regular season and have won all four conference tournaments.

And finally

Pete Weber wins the 2012 U.S. Open of bowling. Watch it here.