The Clippers opened the NBA Emirates Cup group stage last week with a home win over the Pelicans, 126-124, to get to a 1-0 start.
Clippers fans were treated to plenty of drama and excitement throughout the game on Halloween night. The Clippers, who were down by 17 points at one point during the game, came back led by Kawhi Leonard, who hit a game-winner at the buzzer.
With the game tied at 124 and with just 9.6 seconds remaining, the Clippers got the ball in Kawhi’s hand. From the pass of James Harden, Kawhi shot the ball above the arc for a game-winning shot over the Pelicans. Kawhi Leonard had a game-high 34 points on an 11-for-16 shooting from the field in the win. Kawhi Leonard also went 5-for-8 from three-point range.
James Harden also helped the Clippers get the win against the Pelicans in the NBA Cup game. Harden recorded his third double-double of the season. Harden had 24 points and a game-high 14 assists. Harden’s biggest takeaway came from the 2nd quarter, where he scored 14 points with five assists in that frame alone to give the Clippers a 67-59 lead at halftime.
The Clippers showed they can really be a good team when those two —Kawhi and Harden —lead the team in scoring and assists. For the other Clippers players, Zubac also had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Derrick Jones Jr had 16 points off the bench for the Clippers.
The Clippers’ next NBA Cup game is on Nov. 14, a road game against Dallas.
The Clippers are looking to have better success in the NBA Cup and bring home a title for the franchise.
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