Clippers capture the Pelicans 114-98

seven five two zero eleven fifty. Clippers ended up winning by sixteen, led by as many as twenty got twenty eight from Kawhi Leonard on eleven of eighteen, shooting three of five from the outside. The claw looks incredible, masterful. I will say his defense wasn't quite as good tonight. He only had three rebounds, but offensively he looks as efficient as ever. Going back the last dozen games or so,

he's been special. And the right wing three pointer he hit in the fourth quarter sealed the ballgame off a screen from Aviatza Zubos that would put them up one ten to ninety, and it was over ladies and gentlemen. Now. It was a game that we characterize is too close for comfort because it's the Pelicans, because they're with it without CJ. Brandon Ingram's in Toronto. Now Zion was shut down. De Jontay Murray's out, HERB Jones is out. They're missing

quite a few guys. Jose Alvarado grand theft. Alvarado did have his patented move late in the fourth quarter, got a steal on James Harden did have seventeen led them was seventeen oh five from three, and thank goodness for that because the Pels overall were four of twenty two

from the outside. I talked about it yesterday at a tweet, But the Clippers, this may surprise you, over the last fourteen games heading into this one hottest shooting team from three while opponents were shooting their worst percentage against them over those fourteen games, and it held up tonight Clippers thirteen to thirty two. That's forty one percent from three. They've been averaging forty two percent the last fourteen games

the Pelicans four of twenty two, that's eighteen percent. Opponents had been shooting just thirty percent against them the last fourteen games. So far, so good. I don't know how long that's going to be sustainable. Where At the same time, while the Clippers were the hottest shooting team from three over a fifteen game period, now the opposition is at their worst against them from three over fifteen game stretch.

Those two things happening at once. That's part of the reason the Clippers have won twelve of their last fifteen games now. But their defense has been good, their offense has been humming. There were some really good possessions with some hockey assists from James Harden in the fourth quarter where the ball movement was on point. There were some times where the ball movement was on point where the Clippers couldn't finish it with a made basket, but it

was still good process. They had twenty seven assists on their forty made shots. They only got up seventy six shots. They did get to the free throw line a bit twenty one to twenty six there. I still didn't like the way they came out in this ball game, and I think coach lou might echo this post game. I'm not saying it was unseerious basketball, but it was uninspired basketball. To start, they were down four to h I think they went three of their first thirteen from the field.

Chris Dune, though, ignited them with a couple of steals that got James Harden some easy ones. By the end of the first quarter, was still twenty two to sixteen, too close for comfort. Now, the typical second unit lineup with Kawhi leading them to start second quarters and fourth quarters were very good. In the second quarter again, they went plus four and four minutes in five seconds. I'm talking about Kawhi next to Bogie, DJ Ben Simmons and

Nico Batoum. That's what coach Leu was rolling with to start second in fourth quarters, and the numbers have been good. They were only at twenty two minutes heading into this game. They will have added about eight more minutes, so they might be at thirty now. And they were good to start that second quarter. But Tum would have hit a three ball They're up twenty nine to twenty. Felt like they were starting to assert themselves or assert their dominance.

Kawhi had it going in that second quarter, and and one on a jumper where you get the friendly role on the near side mid post. Kawhi again right elbow mid range's thirty four to twenty four. Kawhi three. Clippers up thirty seven to twenty four, but the Pelicans too close for comfort. They weren't going anywhere, even with Kawhi. I believe, having let me double check on this, I think nine in that second quarter. I make it thirteen. It was still a twelve point game at the half.

I wanted to see the Clippers up twenty. I wanted to get greedy. I wanted to see them impose their will and finish this in the first half. But it was fifty nine to forty seven at the break. Kauie at eighteen. He looked very good. But the Clippers just weren't fully in sync, and I felt like we're getting by on talent a little bit. James Harden had fourteen the first half on five of eight shooting. It was him and Kawhi going twelve of their first eighteen from

the field. They were kind of just out talenting them. They were coasting. At times. It looked like sleepwalking going through the motions. They looked like a team that was lethargic after a hard fought victory against Orlando in a very physical game to end that four game road trip. And Carlo brought up a good point and he could speak to this. They were on East Coast time the last nine days, so they were three hours ahead. Still, they might have been a little bit sleepy out there.

It looked like it at times. I thought they were doing the bare minimum out there against a bad Pelicans team, but that's probably overly harsh. In the third quarter, I thought they had another opportunity to step on the Pel's throat. Dun hits a three pointer early after he fell to the floor. I was a little bit concerned, but the lead was down to five. At sixty two to fifty seven.

Dun hits another three, hard and floater, okay, ten point game, Kawhi reverse layup and one, but then Jose Alvarado gets fouled on a three Pelicans still hanging around. Doune blocked Alverado as he locked him up on a possession, but then he missed a floater. On the other end, Norm hit a three. Norm His scoring was pretty minimal in this ball game, four of ale in his thirty one minutes eleven points. It was sparse. He had four of those points I think in the second quarter, and he

might have had the rest in the third quarter. Let me double check on that, because I believe he only had yeah, four points of the half. He exits with okay, a five point second quarter and then two more in the fourth. Zoo only got up eight shots, but the Clippers only got up seventy six shots total in this ballgame. But Norm he would have a floater after a three pointer in the third quarter, nice little run from him.

Bogie comes in for done at the four to nineteen mark, and Bogie ended up closing with the starters in this ballgame, but by no means with the Clippers running away with it. It's an eleven point game, so they actually shaved a point off the halftime lead the Pelicans in that third quarter. There was some great ball movement where the Clippers just

couldn't get it to go. Late in the third quarter, they were swinging around the horn, but Tom had an open look, couldn't get it and it was good process. The result wasn't there, but eventually it was in this game and I am happy about that. Well, the hardened shot clock violation play at the end of the third quarter left something to be desired and the Clippers only leading a three to seventy two. I still felt like

they're in control, but it's too close for comfort. So to start the fourth, it's back to Kawhi, Bogie, Simmons, DJ and Batoom, that second unit lineup that went plus four in four minutes and five seconds to start the second quarter. I felt good about it, but Jamal Kaine because it's spinning bucket on Simmons. To start the fourth, it's a nine point game, okay, on the right elbow will fall away, restoring order. Then but Tom has a steal a Bogie three. Clippers are up eighty eight to

seventy four. They look good. Time out Pelicans. Caine gets a dunk out of the time out. Caine was able to get a dunk out of the timeout. Kawhi misses a MIDI. Kawhi gets a strip on Kem Brooks Junior. I don't know why they challenged this because it was obviously off of his knee. The Clippers would eventually get the ball after a failed challenge by the Pelicans. Boge hits a three pointer after the Clippers won the challenge.

Ben Simmons has a goaltend on the other end. Then Kawhi has a turnover and Bogie fouls Mackovic on an and one. He would miss the free throw, but the Clippers are right back to being up eleven at ninety one to eighty where they were to start the fourth after it looked like that second unit with Kawhi was gonna expand this lead and the Clippers were gonna run

away with it. Uh oh, it's a nine point game after Alfred Payton misses and Brooks has a putback dunk timeout Clippers ninety one to eighty two after Ben Simmons turnover. He didn't have a great game. Now it's Norm Harden zoo back in with Kawhi and Boge, so the starters with Bogie in place of Chris Dunn, and they would pretty much finish out the ball game. But Norm fouled on a long two. I think it was Alverado still

a ten point game. Then Harden has and this is what I'm talking about with the passing and the hockey assists. He had a behind the back pass to a Viatza Zubots who got doubled and Kawhi cut baseline for reverse layup, beautiful play ninety five to eighty two. Then Harden has the baseline floater and won ninety eight to eighty four. Okay, here come the Clippers right handed hook shot one hundred and eighty six, first to one hundred. Clippers in full control.

Now Harden then another hockey assists where he passed it to Kawhi under the basket, quick pass back out to bogie for three one o three to eighty eight. Harden gets past me. See he misses zoo put back one oh five to eighty eight. The Clippers are in complete control and Kawhi with that three pointer on the right wing off the Zoos screen put him up by twenty at one ten to ninety with about five minutes left,

this one was over. The backups were called in. It was with three twenty five left that Kawhi three and the Clippers survive advance. It didn't get too crazy with how things have gone against the Pelicans over this stretch where they had one to twelve in the life sixteen games between these two. Clippers win one, fourteen to ninety eight. We'll take a quick time out. We'll come back. We'll get to your phone calls. I'm out of Mosland and

this is Clippers Stock. Live it into a dome after they beat the Pelicans and you're listening to the Patriot AM eleven fifty.

them with twenty eight on just eighteen shots. Looks incredible, His offense looksctacular, and he cranked it up a little bit in the fourth quarter. He had seven of his twenty eight there. He went for a rebound in a very aggressive manner when it came down to winning time, and he knew the Clippers need to pull ahead. Let's finish this thing off. There was an animated conversation with him and James Harden in the second half. I'm not reading too much into it, but it was just an

extended conversation with Kawhi the charity stripe. Harden came over. They talked for a while. I don't know what he

was trying to get across. I'm interested if we get a postgame from our wonderful beat writers like Justin Russo, Tomer Zarley, Joey Lynn La Murray of The Athletic Justin Russo did say this at Fly by Night on X. The twenty two to three point attempts allowed by the LA Clippers of the New Orleans Pelicans tonight are the fewest allowed by the Clippers in a game this season, and the fewest they've allowed in a game overall since they allowed twenty two to Denver back in November twenty

seventh of twenty twenty three. That's interesting. I thought that was a low number, just twenty two to three pointers attempted. Maybe it was low because New Orleans only hit four of them. Let's get out to Tagos in Walnut Tags. You got thirty seconds here, my guy, because people in the chat aren't gonna be able to hear you.

Don or DJ who should start. If you want to keep it simple, I like done starting because when when Dunk goes out, Zubak is gonna go out, and when DJ comes in, he brings that height and that length when Zubas is not on the floor. So it's my two cents on that. And Uh, I think that uh Don came out.

either of us. No, he did bring up the situation with done in DJ and Done starting, even though the numbers say DJ has been better with the starters overall. So we're gonna have a chat about that tomorrow with Justin Russo on because he's also been looking at the numbers. And then I asked Coach Lou about it pregame and I'll have that audio for you guys tomorrow, as that has been a big talking point I know with the fans and Clipper Nation, But I do think they're doing

this the right way. I do. This is a rational approach that they're taking. There is a method to the madness or rhyman reason to get what's going on with rotations right now with this Clippers team and why Chris Dunn is still the starter and Chris Dune By the way, guys, he ended up knocking down three of his five attempts from the outside for eleven points for a shooting and if you look over the last handful of games. Now. He's had a few games recently where he's been better

from three, which is a huge sign. He went three of eight recently too, of five, three of seven, one of one, multiple games one four to one. I should say he only shot twenty nine percent from three in March, but I think over if you go back to January, he was at forty percent. He's about thirty one percent for the season. That's where he's at for his career. So that's who he is, that's what you can expect.

I think now. He did have some hot shooting numbers on lower volume when he was with Utah, but again the sample size just wasn't there. But he looked confidence to night. There was a play where James Harden passed it to him in the far corner in the second half. Chris Dunn gave it back to James Harden on the right wing and James said, no, you're taking this shot. He gave it back to Chris Dunn. He knocked down three. So it's not just that he has the belief to

take that shot. If he's looking like he's turning it down, his teammates are gonna say, no, we need you to take that shot. To hit that shot, that was a really encouraging possession. I think it happened early in the third quarter. So that is something I'm gonna be monitoring, of course, because look, if he came out in the first two games of the playoff series, is two for eleven or something like that from three. I don't think

he's starting game three. There will be a quick adjustment from coach Lou because he does have so many options. But I think right now it's his job to lose, basically, which Lou likes what he brings to start games. Clippers win one, fourteen to ninety eight over the New Orleans Pelicans in a game where Kawhi Leonard has twenty eight in thirty eight minutes on just eighteen shots and just looks so smooth with it in the mid range. It's just effortless right now from Kawhi, as it has been

for about a month. Lot Murray called it. He said, this is the checklist, this is the plan. By March, he should be playing on an all NBA level. He should look like a superstar. He has. It's been about the last fifteen games now, Kawhi has been dominant out there, he's looked like one of the best players in the game again, the reports of his demise once again greatly exaggerated. Kawhi ramps up and goes through the process of getting

back to this level on his own time. He knows his body and this time it took a little bit longer, or because we talked about it with Carlo Amennez post game. He has had to gain his timing and rhythm in game because he can't practice the way he used to. I did a show about this when he first made those remarks postgame. He can't practice the way he used to,

which is just I mean, he's one of apparently. I remember Patrick Beverley going down to San Diego to practice with him, and Pat bev known as one of the hardest workers, and he said, like I thought I worked hard, Kawhi was at a different level, and that's how he's gotten to have this refined offensive Superstar Sniper game with his efficiency. He didn't come out San Diego State like this on offense. He was a role player, defensive guy. He's put in the work, but that training, that wear

and tear could be problematic for his right knee. Can't have it flare up, So I'm sure he's had to ramp down the training. That's basically what he said. But he has been playing significant minutes, as people are pointing out in the chat here. If you look over this last month, going back to the start of March at just Kawhi's where he's been at workload wise with his minutes out there in the game. Well tonight he's at

thirty eight minutes. Orlando plays thirty nine against the Knicks, played forty one against O Case, he played forty against Memphis, played thirty seven, thirty five against Cleveland the first time, thirty six against Atlanta, thirty six against New Orleans in that game they lost on the road, forty against Sacramento in the game against the game winner, thirty seven thirty seven to forty. He's been averaging about a little over thirty six minutes per game since the start of March.

So cross your fingers and hope that every day he keeps waking up and feeling good. Because last season there was no warning or anything. It just flared up after a game in Charlotte and it was April where he was out. The next game was in Sacramento. The game in Charlotte was March thirty first last year. Next game he's out after looking amazing. There was no warning signs, nothing just flared up out of nowhere. When you've had that many surgeries and that many issues on that right leg, Yeah,

do you just never know? So I've been saying since Kawhi came back, like, appreciate what you're seeing always because Kawhi Leonard's body, unfortunately it has betrayed him before. But they talked about it all off season. We think we got it figured out. It's tricky with the swelling. They have a different play and part of that plan seems to be him not trained the same way he used to, so it took a little bit longer to get his

timing right in the mid range. It's right now, and there's only six games left here in the regular season. And if he's only playing one game on the front end of the back end of the back to back, that means he's only playing four. We'll take a quick time out. Clippers win one, fourteen to ninety eight over the Pelicans. Hear it into a dome. I'm out of Maslins and you're listening to Clippers sock here on the Patriot Ambulem fifty.

the last five years and not getting it done. And he's just very relatable. So he puts said postgame, and this is coming from Joey Lynn on X at Joey Lynn two ends and an underscore at the end. Apparently the Clippers are very aware of their problems against the Pelicans. Zeus said, quote, every time I see the Pelicans on the schedule, I'm like, but we got one. We got one. I'm sure the next one is gonna be easier. It's

not the Pelicans. So I think what he was saying is, every time I see the Pelicans on the schedule, I'm like, and now he's shaking his head, and now he's relishing in the fact that we got one, we got one, we beat him. I'm sure the next one is gonna be easier. It's not the Pelicans, anyone but the Pelicans. Yeah, so they know too. The Pelicans have absolutely burned them. Kawhi Leonard post game on watching the standings quote, they do enough for me. I do watch games, but for me,

winning is whoever you put in front of you. So whoever it is, you gotta beat them to win the ultimate goal, He said, his teammates will tell him in the group chat or the locker room what went down around the league. What else would you expect from Kawhi Leonard. There that tracks That's who he is. He lives in the moment. He's not gonna catastrophize or worry too much

about the future. I think he truly is. While it might be a sports cliche they get game by game or one game at a time, I think that truly is how Kawhi lives honestly like he is able to compartmentalize really well and just focus on what's important. Uh. Far about Assen Shari had this from Big Zoo post game on being considered for defensive awards this season, as the shirts were out, and I'll give one away. I might wait though, till the postseason or till the offseason.

I got one for you guys. It's a medium. I'll give them away here on clipperstock at some point believe that, but may just wait. So they're trying to get the campaign going for Big Zoo for Defensive Player of the Year because he has been that good. What did he say? I have to say about that quote? It means a lot. I haven't won many awards in my career. Kawhi was also asked about the avisa's You Batch Defensive Player of the Year's shirts. He said, quote, he's been great on

both sides of the ball. We made the shirts for a reason. That was from far Baugh to Essen Shari, as I'm going through the list here seeing what we got postgame. Clippers again, they're in the seventh spot. They're tied record wise with Minnesota and with Memphis. Minnesota has the tiebreaker over them, so they're ahead of them in the sixth spot. The Clippers have the tiebreaker over Memphis, so Memphis is behind them in the eighth spot. I think that's how that works. Is that how that works?

Because I'm thinking they probably both have a better conference record than the Clippers. We'll take one more time out, we'll come back here. Clippers win one, fourteen to ninety eight over the New Orleans Pelicans here right into it dome. I'm out a Maslins and you're listening to clipperstock here on the Patriot AMM fifty.

test that out in a seven game series. Sure, if they get in the seven to eight matchup, in a play in and they have home court in that game, you feel good about it, especially if it's against Memphis. But you want to see this team in a seven game series and see just how loud it can get in the newest arena, in the best place in the world to watch a basketball game. I believe that fully. It confirms it every time I'm here. Still pinch myself.

I'm out of Mosland. This is clipperstock on the Patriot A eleven fifty Clippers went by sixteen in a game. We just felt like the Pelicans were hanging around, hanging around. John Malcolmvich would say it didn't feel great considering the history between these two teams and how the Pels had won twelve with the last sixteen against the Clippers, and how the Clippers know this, and Meatsu Zubats spoke to the fact that the Pelicans have tortured them no matter

who they have, no matter who was available. So even in a night where they're starting Bruce Brown, Okay, Kelly olynyk Okay, mecI, Antonio Reeves, Jose Alvarado, they had shut down c J and Zion. You still don't feel comfortable ever against this team. The Clippers exercise some demons. I think they at least out talented the Pelicans. I don't think the Clippers played their best by any stretch of

the imagination. This wasn't some beat down. The Pels had seventy four points in the paint, but they did what they needed to do. They looked a little bit tired. First came back after East Coast road trip, last nine days. They're on East Coast time. There's an adjustment period. Carlo Jimenez could speak to it. He's on the trip with them. It's not nothing. You won't call it an excuse, okay, but it is an adjustment. So I think that accounts

for some of the lethargy to start the game. They were slow that first quarter and they're down zero four. I don't think they scored the first three and a half four minutes of the ball game, or at least they were in single digits like halfway through the first quarter. I'm gonna double check on this because of a maniac like that, and I have to know. Yeah, at the five thirty eight mark, they're down ten to eight. That

was an ugly watch. I said on X this is the most twelve thirty type of start to a game I had seen on a seven thirty tip in a while, the Clippers just looked stuck in cement. They made a little bit of a run after Chris Dunn got a couple of steals for them, and James Harden got a couple of easy ones in transition, and the wheels started to turn a little bit, but it was still twenty two to sixteen after the first quarter. It didn't exactly

get a lot of distance between themselves and the Pelicans. Hey, you held a team is sixteen points in the first grade, but you only had twenty two. So the Clippers never really took advantage or had some you know, thirty point lead in the first three quarters. They eventually had a twenty point lead with under four minutes left. It took them a while to really engage in this ballgame. James Harden,

though finished with twenty one ten assists, just two turnovers. Postgame, he was asked about his connection with the Eat to Zoo bots and said, quote, communication time, elite playmaking. If it was Joe Blowout there passing it to Zoo, it wouldn't be as easy. I've been grateful and blessed to be in this league for a long time, and I've made a lot of big men money. He's done an unbelievable job of listening. That's the most important thing. And then him working on his own game and getting better

is a key as well. So he gave both guys credit appropriately. So himself, he is an absolute pick and roll master at the highest level that we've ever seen in the NBA, and he ain't lied about getting his big ben paid. And he also gave credit to it Eats Zubats. We're working on his game and improving there. But yeah, James Harden is a offense and to himself, he is a system and the system at times for

this Clippers team. But another game where Kawhi Leonard leads them in shot attempts with eighteen hardens at fourteen douns it eight he did get eleven points, went three or five from the field. But I sigh, not because that upsets me. But if each of Zubats only got up eight shots in thirty three minutes, done gets up eight to nineteen minutes, you know how I am about Big Zoo. Feed Big Zoo get in more opportunities out there. It only helps. Maybe they do go up big earlier who

beats Zoobots, which featured a little bit more. He still finished with seventeen to ten and six assists, like seeing that he had a great assist to a cutting Dereck Jones Junior for a dunk in the first half, beautiful pass from big Zoo. Clippers win one, fourteen to ninety eight. Hear it into a dome over the Pelicans their next game on Friday. It's a back to back against the Dallas Mavericks here at the Dome starting Friday, seven to thirty.

Tip pre game at six thirty. Before we get out of here, I do want to thank the Clippers organization. Ralph Lawler, Brian Seman, know what ego, Carlo jan Menez on the call. Good to see Carlo him Menez tonight. Gotta hang out with my guys, Carlo and big brother, Jake Warner, Daniel West hold it down back in the bank, a Madam Maslin. We'll have a Clippers talk for you tomorrow with guests. Justin Rousseau. We got some pregame audio

from coach Lou about DJ and Chris Dunn. As we asked the question that you guys have been more an answer for I think, uh, we'll get into that, am Madam Maslin talked into YouTube tomorrow at Clippers Talk.