Summary
The Clippers took control of the game from the jump ball and never let go. In fact, they would never trail the Nuggets, and the game did not seem in doubt outside of a few scattered minutes in the second quarter. The key? The Clippers’ resurgent defense, which looks better than ever with the new, fully healthy starting lineup. Kawhi Leonard has engaged “Klaw” mode, Pat Beverley is playing his best defense in years, and Ivica Zubac has become a legitimately good defensive player. With Paul George finally looking healthy as well, even the relative weak point of Marcus Morris is hard to exploit. Morris has looked engaged on that end of the court so far in his Clippers tenure, and while he’s not great on that end, his size alone makes him a physical presence. The offense looked a little less smooth, but still moved the ball well and would have been a lot more potent if shots had fallen.
The second unit was a little less dominant, but still played well. Reggie Jackson continues to play at a high level, and his addition has really increased the ball movement on offense. Lou Williams playing a little more off-ball has been nice to see, and both he and Landry Shamet have more room to attack the basket now with Jackson’s shooting and slashing on the court at the same time. Montrezl Harrell looked invigorated as well, attacking Mason Plumlee with verve and showcasing the trademark energy that has made him such a fan favorite over the years. The Nuggets were able to hang around largely through Jerami Grant’s scoring around the rim and Nikola Jokic’s brilliance, but the Clippers were in control.
Then, in the third quarter, the Clippers blew the doors off. The starters locked down on defense once more, and were able to turn stops into scores in transition. Paul George looked especially dangerous, consistently getting to his spots and sizzling from deep. A seven-point lead quickly turned into a 20-point lead, and the Nuggets never made a run again. Every time they scored, the Clippers would come right back down and put in another basket, and the Nuggets deflated. The final period was garbage time, and the Clippers played well even in that low stakes environment. It was a night where everyone contributed, and the Clips just played great basketball.
Notes
Return of Paul George: Paul George has been better than the box score stats would suggest in recent weeks. Even though his shot hasn’t fallen, his defense has been good (if not great), and he’s contributed as a rebounder and playmaker. Last night, however, was probably the idealized version of himself on the Clippers. He didn’t hold the ball or try to create too much, except late in the shot clock or on a mismatch, instead playing off-ball as a shooter. And boy did he shoot, draining six of his eight shots from deep, and looking fully capable of dropping an easy 40 points if the game had been close. He was also more active on defense than he has been recently, and made hustle plays like diving on the floor for loose balls that would suggest he’s feeling healthy and comfortable with his body. Shooting on this level is impossible to get every night, but this Paul George is the second banana who could get the Clippers a championship.
Lou Williams Dazzles: While Lou has had bigger scoring nights recently, this game might be the best he’s played in a while. He was fully under control and didn’t force any shots or passes. Having Reggie Jackson on the court alongside him seems to agree with the reigning Sixth Man, and he devastated the Nuggets last night. Whenever he wanted to score, he would score, and whenever the Clippers big men rolled to the hoop, Lou found them. 17 and 7 on good efficiency is exactly what the Clippers need from Lou, and the 22 minutes was a huge plus – Lou’s no spring chicken, and he might need some reduced minutes more than anyone before the postseason. Still, there’s no questioning the importance of Sweet Lou to this team, and last night’s version will be a force in the playoffs, poor defense or no.
Pat Makes it Work: With all that said, the true difference in the Clippers the last few games has been Pat Beverley. The Clippers just play consistently harder when he’s on the court, and his energy and attitude are contagious. When Reggie Jackson drained a three late in the 1st quarter, the first guy to run on the court and pump him up was Beverley, who was bouncing around and hyping him up all the way to the bench. He didn’t score and took one shot, but his defense was phenomenal, as he rotated and scrambled all over the court to cover shooters, take away driving lanes, and force extra passes. On offense, even without scoring, his shooting ability helped space the floor, and he kept the ball moving without turning it over – two issues the Clippers have had this year. Kawhi and Paul George are the superstars, Trez and Lou are the bench engines and fan favorites, and Shamet and Zu are the young guns, but it’s Beverley who holds the whole operation together. Long live Pat.
Tomorrow the Clippers take on the Sixers in another marquee game, and if they play like this, they should be looking at their fourth win in a row.
