The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans This Friday, it won 95-111 and became stronger with a difference of up to 31 points between the two teams in the last quarter.
that it The Clippers achieve their fifth straight winwhich I was able to implement in the period between December and January 14 wins in the last 16 matchescementing itself as the fittest team in the NBA even ahead of the Boston Celtics.
For their part, the Pelicans said They snapped a recent good run of four games they had won Now they face the challenge of a five-game tour of the West Coast.
Paul George He was the top scorer in the duel with 24 points and a three-pointer with 6 of 10. He was supported by 19 points from Kawhi Leonard. James Harden and Russell Westbrook They added 8 each.
On the part of the locals, blocking the scoring (35.9% of field goals at the end of the match) affected everyone in the second half, with the Lithuanian. Jonas Valanciunas contributed the best numbers with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds. CJ McCollum played an important role in some stages of the match, scoring 12 points thanks to 4 three-pointers out of 9 attempts.
Puerto Rican Jose Alvarado He had two points, a rebound and two assists for New Orleans.
The Clippers are showing their potential
The Pelicans team appeared seriously in the match, and strengthened its control over the match through good defense and effective shooting. McCollum and Valanciunas scored the first two shots of the hat trickHe gained confidence as he punished Zion Williamson on the inside game by drawing fouls and converting from the personal line.
the It took the Clippers five minutes to take their first lead of the night. They didn't start from a long distance and couldn't stop the locals near the edge.
more than Four minutes without scoring a goal had its consequences for the Clippers. Thus, the local score was 9-0, raising the team’s score to 24-16, while Valanciunas scored 9 points in the first quarter.
The visitors concluded the period well, including a three-pointer from Norman Powell, which allowed them to level the score at 26-26.
Equality was the tone of the match during the early stages From the second quarter; Both teams were always one shot away from tying the score or going ahead on the scoreboard.
But inaccuracy has taken hold for the Pelicans and Clippers They began to show all the offensive capabilities they possess. The team led by 11 points (36-47) four minutes before halftime, building a commanding lead of 2-15 within six minutes.
Everything went further: Scoring problems for the locals who barely converted 15 points In the second quarter, and an excellent moment for the Clippers team, which reached the midpoint of the game and dominated by a 15-point lead at 41-56 and a noticeable improvement in shooting from outside (4 of 5 three-pointers made by key players in the second quarter).
There was a reaction from the Pelicans at the start of the second half, But the pace of the game and the Clippers' confidence They were already so high that the game was slipping further and further towards their side with the 20-point distance acting as a comfortable cushion.
It was a turn Leonard, who put it all together in the third quarter Except for one free throw, he reached 11 points in this period. With him, George continued to shoot from the perimeter and Ivica Zubac dominated the paint.
McCollum kept his team's pulse going in the game with two threes Valanciunas withstood Zubac's attack, but all was not enough against this version of the Clippers in which anyone can revolutionize the game.
The Pelicans entered the fourth quarter down 68-92, knowing that tonight was going to be very tough.
The sentence did not take long to arrive: 2-9 to whom Tyronn Lue allowed them to go over a hundred points With a score of 70-101 that actually forced Willie Green to turn the page with seven minutes left in the game. The Smoothie King Center remained silent and empty before the thunderous superiority of Los Angeles.