Clippers no-show in Toronto, lose 98-73

There's not a lot to say about this game. It's hard to know what caused that happened, but let's just hope it doesn't happen again. The Los Angeles Clippers simply put played their worst game of the year, did absolutely nothing well, and lost to a motivated Toronto Raptors team 98-73.

With just five minutes left in the first half, the Clippers tied the game at 27. To that point, they had been absolutely dreadful, shooting about 30 percent and completely incapable of making a shot other than a dunk or a layup. At that point I felt fairly certain that the Clippers would win the game. After all, they were tied despite the fact that there was no way they could play any worse.

And then they started to play worse. Much, much worse.

Spanning the end of the second quarter and the start of the fourth, the Raptors went on a 26-5 run, and the Clippers never really got any better the rest of the way.

This game marks season lows (or near season lows) in an impressive and diverse number of categories for the Clippers: fewest assists in a game (12), season low in forced turnovers (12), one off the season low in steals (6). And obviously a season low in shooting percentage (.347).

From the first few possessions something seemed wrong. Four minutes in, Aaron Gray missed a shot in the lane, and three Clippers who could have had the offensive rebound stood flat-footed and stationary and watched as Gray grabbed the rebound.

Not that it would have made any difference, but with Matt Barnes suspended, the Clippers didn't even have the one guy they can usually count on to bring energy in any situation. The game was just a disaster from start to finish, in every possible way for the Clippers.

There's really nothing to do but head on to Boston for Sunday's game and leave Canada behind. Luckily these international games don't count in the standings. Oh, wait, that's right, Toronto games do count. Damn.