Clippers dominate Cavaliers in Marcus Morris' debut, 133-92

The L.A. Clippers suffered a tough loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, but bounced back with a strong effort against Cleveland.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

After giving a questionable effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night, the L.A. Clippers came into Cleveland and took care of business in a 133-92 win over the Cavaliers. 

For the Cavaliers, the loss was the largest margin of defeat at home in franchise history.

From the jump, the Clippers looked like a different team than the one we saw in Minnesota. The urgency was obvious — L.A. was not going to suffer back-to-back losses to two of the worst teams in the league. That's generally been the case for Los Angeles this season, which moved to 15-1 following a loss after beating Cleveland. The lone instance came early in the year when the Clippers dropped two in a row versus the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans.

Lou Williams led the way for the Clippers, going for 25 points, five rebounds and three assists in what was his highest-scoring game since January 18. Paul George followed closely behind with 22 points, six boards and four assists in just 24 minutes. 

But while those two stuffed the stat sheet, all eyes were on Marcus Morris Sr., who was playing his first game in a Clippers uniform. 

He didn't put up the same kind of numbers that he did during his time with the New York Knicks, but Morris did supply a quick 10 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists in 21 minutes of action. Surprisingly, he missed all four of his attempts from three-point range — just the fourth time that's happened all season. 

It's way too early to definitively say if Morris is a good fit for the roster, especially since the Clippers were playing without Patrick Beverley and Kawhi Leonard, but the early reviews are positive. The 30-year-old looked comfortable with his new teammates, and his personality fits with the culture the franchise has been cultivating over the last several seasons.

The game was essentially over by halftime, as the Clippers took a 23-point lead into the break. When it was all said and done, L.A. had led by as many as 45. 

The starters were pulled as the team transitioned from the third quarter to the fourth, allowing several reserves to get significant action. Among them was Amir Coffey, who first checked into the game in the first quarter. 

Coffey went for 10 points, four rebounds and an assist in 24 minutes — by far the most he's received in an NBA game to date. On nights when Leonard sits, he could be a legitimate candidate to earn minutes. 

With the win, the Clippers moved to 37-16 on the season and 15-11 on the road. They'll finish up the road trip with matchups against the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics before heading back to Los Angeles for the All-Star break.