Wednesday marked a significant milestone for the Clippers as they kicked off the season against the Portland Trail Blazers, a team projected to have a high draft pick next year. In a long time, the Clippers demonstrated dominance from the outset, securing a 123-111 victory that surpassed the final margin.
Throughout the game, the Clippers held the lead, reaching a maximum advantage of 30 points. The dynamic trio of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Ivica Zubac led the charge with 27, 23, and 20 points respectively, with Zubac also contributing 12 rebounds to the team’s victory.
Russell Westbrook, the point guard for the Clippers, played a pivotal role by notching 11 points and 13 assists, becoming the first Clipper since Andre Miller in 2002 to achieve such an opening-night performance.
Previously, the Clippers faced numerous challenges and struggled to find success, narrowly avoiding the play-in tournament last season. Their considerable talent was often plagued by injuries, hindering George and Leonard from showcasing their full potential against weaker opponents. However, Wednesday’s game proved to be a turning point where the Clippers transformed preseason aspirations into tangible realities. The team capitalized on transition plays, converting 15 dunks and tallying 15 fast-break points. Notably, Westbrook’s alley-oop finish from George in the first quarter reverberated throughout Crypto.com Arena, embodying the team’s newfound energy and determination.
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The Clippers had emphasized their commitment to establishing a top-five defense. The starters made good on this promise by stifling Scoot Henderson, the second overall pick, holding him scoreless in the first half. Henderson finished with 11 points on 11 shots, recording an equal number of turnovers and assists (four each).
With a commanding lead of 26 points and just three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Coach Tyronn Lue elected to rest Leonard and George, giving the reserves an opportunity to shine. However, when the Trail Blazers closed the gap to 20 points with eight minutes left in the final quarter, Lue reintroduced his starting lineup to seal the victory.
In the absence of projected fifth starter Terance Mann, who wore a walking boot due to a sprained left ankle, Robert Covington stepped up and earned his third start in 74 games with the Clippers. Covington’s offensive impact was limited, scoring five points on five shots, but his defensive prowess shone through with three steals, contributing to the Clippers’ five points off turnovers.
This story was first featured in the Los Angeles Times.
