Golden State Warriors handed tough loss against short-handed Los Angeles Clippers
Golden State Warriors enjoyed a great start to the season, with their young dubs playing a very crucial role in it. They even managed a 4 point win over the spurs without 4 of their regular starters. But on “Valentine’s night”, they were on the wrong side of the match result when the shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers managed a 15 point victory over the title contender team.
LA Clippers were without Paul George (Elbow) and Kwahi (Knee) for the fixture. But Tyron Lue was pleased with the team’s all-around performance as all 5 starters scored in double digits. Also, the bench provided much-needed support in the game to snatch an impressive win for the team.
Both teams were close going into the half, with a marginal 2 point lead with the Clippers. Stephen Curry was having a great shooting night with 9 of 11 from the field. He led the scoring with 26 in the half, while other Warrior players were still in single digit. The clippers were playing like a “team”, as everyone contributed perfectly till halftime.
The Warriors uncharacteristically choked in the third quarter, where they were outscored by 14 points by the hosts. Zubac started the flurry which then blew the dubs away. Curry was well marked and managed to drop a 1-three pointer in the whole 3rd quarter.
Terrance Mann led the Clippers with season-high 25 points, and Reggie Jackson added 19 points with 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Steph managed 33 points in the game, with Jordan Pool adding another 13 points in the tally. 1st-time All-star Andrew Wiggins had a rough night scoring 13 points in 119-104 loss.
Los Angeles Clippers made some smart trades to support their Star pairing of George and Leonard. With Leonard yet to step on the floor this season, Paul George was single-handedly keeping the team in the Playoff chase. But he also suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in the last week of December.
The Clipper season looked over, considering their poor record without George and Leonard. But the Lue team managed to get some important wins and maintained an 11-15 record before this game. In the transfer market also, they were able to get Norman Powell and Robert Covington from the Blazers and Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleyi from the Bucks.
In return, they moved away from some low-performing players like Eric Bledsoe, Justin Winslow, and Serge Ibaka. Though those players are yet to settle in the Clippers format, Covington’s defense and Norman Scoring would prove critical for the team in coming fixtures.
The team has maintained its position at the table and is ready for the Play-in situation. Clippers are 8th in the West and looking to close up the gap between 7th seed Wolves. If either Leonard or George makes an early return from the injury, this team can challenge for the postseason quite easily.
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