In what many anticipated would be the game of the year (to this point), this matchup lived up to every bit of the hype. Unfortunately for the Clippers, they fell on the wrong end of this thriller, falling 124-120. For a full game recap of the Clippers’ loss to the Nets, read more below.
Summary
All eyes were on the superstar matchup, and each one of them shined in this game. The Clippers’ superstar duo combined for 59 points, with Kawhi Leonard pouring in 33 and Paul George adding 26 of his own. As great as the Clippers’ star duo was, Brooklyn had even more firepower. Each of the Nets’ Big 3 did their thing. Kevin Durant had 28 points on 11/13 from the field, and may have had the quietest game of the Big 3. Kyrie Irving was the most unstoppable player on the floor from start to finish, exploding for a season-high 39 points on an efficient 15/23 from the field and 6/8 from deep. James Harden, meanwhile, put up a casual 23 point, 11 rebound, 14 assist triple-double. While it may be easy to look at the superstar battle and conclude the Clippers simply didn’t have enough firepower, there is a lot more to this game that contributed to the outcome we all saw.
Notes
Serge Struggles: As the Nets lack any proficient rim protectors, one of the best ways to attack them is in the paint. So far this season, opposing centers have had a huge amount of success against Brooklyn’s fickle interior defense. While Serge Ibaka is far from a focal point of the Clippers’ offense, even an average game from him could have swayed the outcome of this one. He was just 3/11 from the field, with the majority of his misses being right around the rim. Coming into this game, Serge was shooting 68.7% within 5 feet of the basket, so this was certainly an uncharacteristic but untimely off-night around the rim.
Batum Stays Hot: It almost feels like a disservice to Nicolas Batum to say that he continues to stay hot, because as we get deeper into the season, it becomes more and more justified to believe this is simply who he is. In arguably the biggest game of the season, Nic gave the Clippers 21 points on 7/10 from the field and 5/8 from downtown. While he did miss a big free-throw at the end, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Clippers find a way to win the game at that point, especially with Nash opting to foul before the Clippers could attempt a three-point shot. Batum continues to be the steal of the offseason.
Lou Stays Cold: In a refined role that doesn’t require him to bear nearly as much of the offensive burden, the Clippers don’t need much from Lou Williams beyond what he brings each night. If the shots are not falling, Lou is still good for shot creation and playmaking with the 2nd unit. With that being said, the Clippers are currently thin at the guard position. Patrick Beverley is out, and Luke Kennard has seen his role diminish in recent games. Because of this, the Clippers needed Lou for 20 minutes tonight, and 7 in the 4th quarter. Coming into this game shooting just 38% from the field, Lou could not take the lid off the basket tonight. He was just 2/7, and missed shots that the Clippers expect him to make.
Despite missing their third best player, the Clippers hung with a fully-loaded Brooklyn Nets team that was firing on all cylinders. As Paul George said in his postgame interview, the Clippers will be better prepared the next time they see these guys. If that is indeed the case, the fans should be in for another thriller. That’s about it for this game recap of the Clippers’ disappointing 124-120 loss to the Nets. Come right back again tomorrow as the Clippers face off against a feisty Cavs team at 5:00 PM PT.
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