The Clippers “cleaned” the Blazers again – Kawhi Leonard is impressive with a double-double
Led by Kawhi Leonard, who finished the game with 30 points and 10 rebounds, the Los Angeles Clippers recorded their second straight victory at the Crypto.com Arena, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 114-107.
Ivica Zubac added 21 points and 8 rebounds, while James Harden had another solid performance with 20 points and 13 assists. John Collins also had a valuable contribution with 16 points, helping the Clippers put behind them the loss of the premiere against Utah.
12th straight win against Portland
The Los Angeles team made it 12 straight wins against the Blazers, confirming their dominance in the head-to-head matchups.
On the other hand, the Trail Blazers continued the season with a loss in their second appearance under caretaker coach Tiago Splitter as Chauncey Billups remains sidelined due to his involvement in a federal betting investigation.
Protagonists for Portland
Danny Abdiya scored 23 points and Jrue Holiday added 21 on a night where Portland fought but couldn’t pull off the upset.
Shaydon Sharp had 19 points, Jerami Grant added 17, and Donivan Klingan had 10 rebounds, but a low 37 percent shooting from the field proved costly.
Despite their miscue, the Blazers stayed close thanks to 28/34 shooting, compared to the Clippers who made just 15 (14/15).
The image of the fight
The Clippers started strong, leading 34-23 in the first quarter, but the Blazers responded with an impressive 23-2 run, taking a 55-44 lead and going into the half at 60-55.
The Portland team took advantage of the Clippers’ 8 turnovers in the second quarter, turning them into 12 easy points.
In the replay, however, Leonard took action, leading his team back in front while Harden dished out assists with surgical precision.
In the final minutes, a basket and foul by Collins made it 109-98, “locking” the victory for Los Angeles. Portland missed its final 3-pointers and committed a critical error, with the final 114-107 sealing the Clippers’ second win of the season.
Stats that stood out
Los Angeles Clippers: Leonard 30p., 10p. – Zubats 21p., 8p. – Harden 20 points, 13 assists. – Collins 16p.
Portland Trail Blazers: Abdiya 23p. – Holiday 21p. – Sharp 19p. – Grand 17p. – Klingon 10p.
