Clippers set record for largest margin of victory in franchise history in win over Nets
The Clippers began on Wednesday night a slew of games in which their fortitude was expected to be tested.
They are in this situation because of the devastating wildfires that rampaged across the Los Angeles area and caused the postponement of a Clippers game and forced the NBA to reschedule other games.
So the Clippers were set to play six games over nine days, starting with their 126-67 beatdown of the Brooklyn Nets at the Intuit Dome, the largest margin of victory in franchise history,
Kawhi Leonard played 23 minutes 49 seconds and scored 23 points, both season highs. He was eight for 11 from the field while leading the Clippers in scoring.
James Harden had 21 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in a game the Clippers led by as many as 64 points. He has 26,681 points over his 16-year career, pushing him past Dominique Wilkins for 15th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Harden said he’s not able to process his records and these moments.
“We’ll figure that out when it’s all done,” Harden said. “But right now, it’s just I got to keep going. I got to keep getting closer and breaking more records. When it’s all said and done, which I’ll have a lot of time after, I can sit back and realize what I actually accomplished in my life. But for now, I’m in the moment. I just keep going.”
When the NBA announced its rescheduling of games earlier Wednesday, it meant the Clippers would play five games next week that include two sets of back-to-backs.
With no starters playing more than 24 minutes, it was a good start for the Clippers (22-17) as they approach this gauntlet of games that continues Thursday at Portland.
They put this game away by outsourcing the Nets 37-14 in the second quarter and then adding a 44-16 third-quarter onslaught.
“So, we just had to have a professional mindset coming out in that third quarter and we did that,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “Our guys were able to get some rest going into tomorrow to a back-to-back.”
The Chicago Bulls game that was scheduled for next Wednesday was moved to Monday, and it will be a back-to-back game because the Clippers host the Lakers on Sunday night.
A game against the Washington Wizards, originally scheduled for March 16, will be played Jan. 23 and it comes a day after the Clippers host the defending champion Boston Celtics in yet another back-to-back.
The Clippers end next week with a home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 25.
The game against Charlotte that was postponed last Saturday has been rescheduled for March 16. The game at Utah set for Feb. 13 has been moved to March 19.
Tickets for those games will be honored on the rescheduled dates.
With Leonard playing in just his fourth game of the season, the Clippers will be cautious with their star over this stretch. In fact, Lue said the medical staff will put together a plan to use as a guide.
Part of that is not having Leonard play Thursday at Portland.
“We’ve played, I think, pretty much the top-two hardest schedule in the league so far this year. It just adds to it,” Lue said. “So, we just got to take it game by game. Can’t fall victim to the schedule. It’s out of the NBA’s hands what happened to our city and so we understand that. So, we just got to lock in.”
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When asked what he’s evaluating about his game and the steps he’s taking, Leonard said, “My movements.”
“Like I said, just seeing how I move, if I’m able to still slide or get to do certain things,” Leonard said. “Yeah, that’s how I’m assessing it.”
Clippers wingman Terance Mann, who didn’t play Monday night against Miami, didn’t play in the second half against the Nets because of left calf soreness. Mann had five points before he left.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
