Sports
Kawhi Leonard, Paul George Lead Clippers to Blowout Win vs. Ja Morant, Grizzlies
Mark J. Terrill/Associated PressThe Los Angeles Clippers snapped out of their recent slide with a well-timed victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.Los Angeles ended its three-game losing streak with a 124-97 victory on Monday at Staples Center and improved to 38-19 on the season. Kawhi Leonard and Montrezl Harrell led the way, helping their team clinch the season…
Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
The Los Angeles Clippers snapped out of their recent slide with a well-timed victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Los Angeles ended its three-game losing streak with a 124-97 victory on Monday at Staples Center and improved to 38-19 on the season. Kawhi Leonard and Montrezl Harrell led the way, helping their team clinch the season series against the Grizzlies with a second win in three tries.
Memphis is trending in the wrong direction and is 28-29 overall following a third straight loss.
Notable Player Stats
- LAC F Kawhi Leonard: 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals
- LAC F Montrezl Harrell: 22 points and three rebounds
- LAC G Paul George: seven points, four assists and four rebounds
- MEM G Ja Morant: 16 points and one assist
- MEM C Gorgui Dieng: 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks
Kawhi, Dialed-In Clippers Come Out With Postseason Urgency in Win
Following Saturday's loss to the Sacramento Kings, Leonard said “the time is now” when talking about the need for the Clippers to start rounding into form before the playoffs, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
That sense of urgency was on full display right out of the gates Monday.
Leonard threw down a massive dunk over Jonas Valanciunas, consistently attacked the basket off the bounce and spearheaded the defensive effort by swarming Memphis' wing players and ball-handlers. As a result, the four-time All-Star finished the first quarter with the same number of points as the Grizzlies: 14.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
KLAW THROWS IT DOWN 🖐 https://t.co/u8oyvptxIO
NBA TV @NBATV
What a fake by Kawhi 👀 #CenterCourt https://t.co/nlcdnaBY3e
Memphis Grizzlies @memgrizz
meh.
The game was essentially over after the Clippers finished the first quarter with a 26-point lead, as not even flashes of individual brilliance from Ja Morant were enough to close the gap.
Monday was a rarity for Los Angeles seeing how head coach Doc Rivers had his entire rotation at his disposal. It was just the fifth time all season that has been the case, as Leonard and George, in particular, have been in and out of the lineup.
That full rotation includes new additions in Marcus Morris Sr. and Reggie Jackson, who join a talented supporting cast featuring the hounding defense of Patrick Beverley, the interior play of Harrell and the instant offense of Lou Williams.
LA Clippers @LAClippers
Tough, @MookMorris2. 💪🏾
📺 @FoxSportsWest | #ClipperNation https://t.co/8F284NmYYw
LA Clippers @LAClippers
Rippin' and runnin'
@kawhileonard steal → @Yg_Trece dunk https://t.co/7TzcohdN4S
Anything short of a championship would be a disappointment, and the higher gear on display in the first quarter will be a problem for the rest of the Western Conference when it is completely unleashed throughout tightly fought postseason games.
It certainly was for a Grizzlies team that has talented pieces in Morant and Dillon Brooks, among others, and is in playoff position.
What's Next?
Both teams are on the road Wednesday when the Clippers face the Phoenix Suns and the Grizzlies travel to the Houston Rockets.
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