LOS ANGELES — The Clippers have known for weeks what the rest of the NBA is just now realizing. This season, the Clippers are healthy, talent-laden and winning.
On Tuesday night, they added to their rising profile with a convincing 119-99 victory over the Sacramento Kings, extending their winning streak to five games – the longest active winning streak in the league – and sweeping a back-to-back set for the first time this season. They have won 10 of 13 games since a six-game losing streak threatened to derail their season after James Harden’s arrival.
“The biggest thing for me is (that the players are) just staying with it,” Coach Tyronn Lue said. “I think early on it was tough for us just trying to figure out how we wanted to play, trying to figure out rotations and all the different things and how James, PG (Paul George), Kawhi (Leonard) and Russell (Westbrook) all play together.
“We still got a long way to go, but we’re trending in the right direction. We’re doing a lot of good things and we still just got to stay with it and continue to put in the work.”
Leonard, who had a game-high 31 points and has 106 over his past three games, said the key to the team’s recent success isn’t a mystery.
“It’s just chemistry, playing together, getting clarity, knowing what to expect coming into games,” he said. “I think that’s what the biggest thing is.”
Sacramento coach Mike Brown said the Clippers’ hard work and chemistry is “starting to show its face a little bit, that these guys can all play together.”
The Clippers (13-10), however, had to finish off the Pacific Division-leading Kings (13-9) without George, who experienced soreness in his left groin after diving for a loose ball and did not play the second half. He had nine points and six rebounds in the first half.
Lue said sitting George for the second half was precautionary, adding that he could have played the rest of the game.
While the news about George was worrisome at the time, the Clippers didn’t let his absence affect them. They locked down on defense and revved up their offensive attack in the second half.
Leonard scored 14 of his 31 points in the third quarter, Ivica Zubac picked up his game and the rest of the team worked to shut down the Kings for the final 24 minutes.
“I think we were locked in defensively and that’s where it all starts for us,” Lue said. “When we get stops and get out in transition, we’re a hard team to beat. So, it all started on the defensive end.”
Leonard’s high level of play – he shot 11 for 14 from the field – came on the second night of a back-to-back. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has not missed a game this season – a marked difference from last season when his health limited him to 52 games.
George also has not missed a game this season.
“It’s dope to see them (Leonard and George) out there every night,” teammate Terance Mann said.
Zubac finished with six points and nine rebounds, Harden had 15 points and seven assists and Norman Powell had 15 points as the Clippers built a 33-point lead by the third quarter. Lue went to the end of the bench to close out the game.
Lue said it has been imperative that the players have not veered from their goal of learning how to play with each other.
“I know we had a rough start, but we’re just staying the course,” Lue said. “I give our players credit just for every single day coming in, every shoot around, every practice, working to get better and trying to understand and find out how they can make each other better.”
The Kings came into the game with an impressive victory against the Brooklyn Nets the night before, another game in which forward Keegan Murray again had the unenviable task of guarding the opponent’s best outside shooter. The Clippers, though, presented the rookie – and his coach – with one of their biggest challenges this season. Who does he focus on?
“They got so many. I probably will have to take one, too,” Brown jokingly said. “Every time you look, there’s another. They got four Hall of Fame players. So, yeah, we all got to take one.”
Murray, at some point in the game, got close-ups with Leonard, Harden, Westbrook and George and saw what those four can do individually and collectively. They didn’t go easy on the young player or any of the other defenders, going 6 for 16 from 3-point range. Overall, the Clippers shot 11 for 29 from behind the arc and 52.4% from the field.
Despite his defensive assignment, Murray was the Kings’ leading scorer with 17 points and seven rebounds. Domantas Sabonis, who came into the game averaging 18.6 points and 12.3 rebounds, finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while speedy guard De’Aaron Fox, who scored 28 points the previous night, made just 5 of 16 shots for 14 points.
Behind the starters, the Clippers built a 32-24 first-quarter lead and didn’t miss a step when George, Leonard and Zubac took a seat in the second quarter. The reserves stretched the lead to 18 points before the starters re-entered the game and pushed the margin to 29 before settling for a 70-48 halftime advantage.
The Clippers host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday and the New York Knicks on Saturday before leaving on a three-game trip.
You could say he's in the zone…@kawhileonard | @LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/rpRKGrNRxg
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 13, 2023
"We had to handle Business" – @JHarden13 on Tonight's W against the Kings@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/3jZmvqOi0L
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 13, 2023
Coach Lue on the 5 game win streak @LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/pjtjs589BT
— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) December 13, 2023
