Terance Mann gave the LA Clippers a performance for the ages in Game 6, helping his team trim a 25-point deficit against the Utah Jazz down to 3 points.
In the first half of Game 6 Friday night, it felt like a Game 7 between the LA Clippers and Utah Jazz would be inevitable. After winning a big Game 5 on the road in Salt Lake City, the Clippers were pulverized by an onslaught of Jazz 3-pointers early in Game 6.
It was a disappointing first half, especially with the series shifting back to Los Angeles for a potential closeout game, and the home team was down by 22 points at the break. Early in the third quarter, they trailed by as many as 25.
But then Terance Mann, who had already had a good first half with 14 points, went absolutely ballistic, and the complexion of the game completely changed.
"Oh, what a Mann!!!"
— NBA (@NBA) June 19, 2021
20 IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
34 IN THE GAME.
DEFICIT CUT TO 4.
Terance Mann's ERUPTION sparks a 17-0 @LAClippers run to ignite Staples Center! #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/p5eNztuBuG
As the Clippers outscored Utah 41-22 in the third quarter, Mann nearly outscored the Jazz by himself, putting up 20 points in those 12 minutes to give himself a career-high 34 points with a whole quarter to go. As LA put together a 17-0 run at one point, Mann’s 13-of-19 shooting propelled his team back within 3 points heading into the final frame.
NBA Twitter couldn’t believe what it was seeing from Terance Mann
With Kawhi Leonard out due to a knee injury, the Clippers needed someone else to step up. And Mann looked like a legitimate superstar in the process.
Kawhi watching Terance Mann cook pic.twitter.com/hiI6Q8Ibhj
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) June 19, 2021
People couldn’t help but notice how often he was being left open after Rudy Gobert was switched onto him time and time again.
Terance Mann whenever Rudy Gobert gets switched up on him pic.twitter.com/bB5sSDZ1h5
— Bobby, No Ricky (@jbeans_15) June 19, 2021
clippers need to get terance mann some help this off-season
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) June 19, 2021
Kawhi isn’t out for the series he has just been cloned in the form of Terance Mann
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) June 19, 2021
Others were simply shocked over what they were witnessing, especially from a player who was out of Tyronn Lue’s rotation just a few games ago:
If Mann goes for 50, we all do shots together
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/allday__ajking/status/1406100555928379394?s=20
Quin Snyder’s gameplan: “let’s force Terance Mann to beat us”
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) June 19, 2021
Terance Mann: pic.twitter.com/Iaj0olXxCA
THIS MIGHT BE THE LOUDEST CLIPPER GAME I'VE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE. THE CLIPPERS TURNED AT 25 POINT GAME INTO A 6 POINT GAME IN ONE QUARTER, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING NUTS.
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) June 19, 2021
The number of shots Mann was taking opened up a whole other avenue of jokes:
Terance Mann taking all the shots Cole Beasley refused to
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) June 19, 2021
The Clippers eventually tied up the game and took the lead in the fourth quarter, but whether they ultimately pull out the Game 6 win for the franchise’s first conference finals appearance ever, no one will ever forget the Terance Mann Game.