Well, that was ugly. I’m not talking run-of-the-mill ugly either, this game was industrial strength yuckiness!
- Russell Westbrook went 0-11 (yet, played surprisingly well overall)
- No Clippers player scored more than 15 points
- Both teams combined for 30 turnovers!
To be fair, the turnover ugliness belonged to the Clippers. They had 21! After a long offseason and longer waiting to see Kawhi Leonard and John Wall NBA fans deserved better. But in the course of an 82 game season you are going to have games like these.
Star of the Game
Ivica Zubac. The Clippers center continues to put up big number in a game that favors players with strengths he doesn’t have. He is not a wing defender and he can’t shot 3’s. But man can he rebound. His scoring is advantageous. By that I mean, he takes advantage of the opportunities that he earns through an offensive rebound and hustle! No, he cant really defend the 3, but don’t drive on him! He finished the game with 14 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks.
Top Contributor(s)
Luke Kennard shot 3 for 3 from distance. John Wall was a blur; showing he still had that quickness after a long layover. Kawhi Leonard finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds in 21 minutes. Each guy had spurts that helped push back a Lakers run.
Biggest Concern
Considering this was game 1 I will lay off the doom and gloom. Yes, this game was sloppy. The turnovers were ridiculous and the team made uncharacteristically dumb plays at crucial stages. This was a game that the Clippers did not deserve to win. This was a game they would not have won against a team a little further along than the Lakers. I don’t expect the turnovers and mistakes to continue, but if they do they will be a big, big concern.
Next Game
@ Sacramento Kings, Saturday, October 22 at 7:00pm Pacific
