Kawhi Leonard Drops 21 as Clippers Blow out Steph Curry's Warriors 141-122
So far, the daunting Western Conference has been smooth sailing for Kawhi Leonard and the new-look Los Angeles Clippers.
After starting the season with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Clippers moved to 2-0 with a 141-122 win against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday at Chase Center. Leonard spearheaded a balanced attack that featured seven scorers in double figures.
As for the Warriors, reaching the NBA Finals for the sixth straight year figured to be an uphill climb without Kevin Durant or the injured Klay Thompson. There will be easier games ahead, but they will need to make strides come playoff time to compete with the best in the West.
Notable Player Stats
- LAC Kawhi Leonard: 21 points, nine assists and five rebounds on 9-of-17 shooting
- LAC Lou Williams: 22 points, eight assists and three rebounds on 5-of-11 shooting
- LAC Patrick Patterson: 20 points and three rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting and 6-of-10 from three-point range
- GSW Stephen Curry: 23 points, four assists, four rebounds and eight turnovers on 8-of-20 shooting and 2-of-11 from three-point range
- GSW D'Angelo Russell: 20 points and eight assists on 6-of-16 shooting and 4-of-8 from three-point range
Clippers Already Look Like League's Best Team
The Clippers provided as stiff a test as any team for the mighty Warriors during last season's Western Conference playoffs and then went out and added the player who beat them in the NBA Finals.
He picked up right where he left off against Golden State.
While Leonard didn't explode for 40-plus points, he was in full control as the Clippers pulled away in the second half. He picked his spots to attack the rim, unleashed his lethal mid-range jumper and facilitated when the Warriors sent additional defenders his way.
His presence has already elevated the Clippers into the discussion for the best team in the league.
They are a defensive nightmare on all levels with Leonard on the wing, Patrick Beverley hounding ball-handlers—as he did against Stephen Curry—and length across the floor. They also have Leonard as a premier offensive playmaker, Lou Williams as a spark plug off the bench and plenty of three-point shooters to space the floor.
Oh, and they're eventually going to add a healthy Paul George to the mix. George is a five-time All-NBA selection, four-time All-Defensive selection and six-time All-Star who can anchor both sides of the floor just like Leonard.
Having Leonard, George and Beverley alone will allow Los Angeles to match up with almost any team in the league on the defensive side, and the team's depth will carry it throughout the regular season. The Lakers and Warriors aren't the only Western Conference playoff contenders they will handle this season.
Depth and Defense Serious Concerns for Warriors
Not long ago, the Warriors trotted out combinations of Curry, Thompson, Durant, Draymond Green, DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and Kevon Looney to overwhelm opponents with talent.
Those days are in the past.
While D'Angelo Russell was a solid addition who provides complementary shooting for Curry, the Warriors simply didn't have the personnel to match up with the Clippers. Looney was ruled out with hamstring tightness in the second half, Willie Cauley-Stein is sidelined with a foot injury and even Green temporarily left with an arm injury in the first quarter.
The ailments left Golden State with precious little workable depth or size, which allowed the Clippers to exploit openings throughout the contest and put the game away before the fourth quarter even started.
Curry and Russell can carry the offense, but neither is known for his defensive prowess. Thompson isn't there to guard the opponent's best ball-handler, and Durant is no longer present to use his size to bother wing players such as Leonard and George.
Curry is talented enough to keep this team in playoff contention based on his offensive brilliance alone, but the Warriors are going to struggle on defense and with depth along the way.
What's Next?
Both teams are on the road for their next game. The Clippers face the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, while the Warriors square off with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
