The Clippers embarked on a two-game road trip with Leonard continuing to play. Ultimately, the Clippers lost 106-108 to the Timberwolves on the road, ending the latter's three-game losing streak. Today, facing the Timberwolves, Clippers fans might say, "What kind of game was that?" They were once up by 19 points but were reversed by the Timberwolves. Edwards is really good; he hit two consecutive three-pointers in the final moments, completely dominating the court, which is quite impressive. In the end, Hua Zi's performance against the Clippers somewhat resembled his previous game against the Rockets. The Timberwolves were down by 16 points in the fourth quarter, and Hua Zi fought back point by point.
Then Edwards faced the Rockets' tight defense and made the game-winning three-pointer. It was the same today against the Clippers; everyone knew Hua Zi would shoot, but you just couldn't defend him. In the final two possessions, Powell broke through for a 2+1 to help the Clippers take the lead. However, Edwards immediately responded with a three-pointer, and then the Clippers missed their shot. Tyronn Lue had Harden double-team Hua Zi, but Hua Zi still made the three-pointer despite facing two defenders, effectively ending the game for the Clippers.
Honestly, the Clippers didn't lose unfairly; Edwards was truly remarkable. However, being reversed from such a significant lead also indicates the Clippers' offensive instability. Moreover, Tyronn Lue's arrangements were problematic; the starting lineup remained unchanged at the beginning, with Harden and Dunn as the backcourt partners, Powell assigned to the three-spot to increase firepower, and Leonard, who had just returned, paired with Zubac at the four-spot. In fact, the Clippers really didn't need to put Kazi at the four-spot; Jones is clearly more suitable for the starting lineup than Dunn.
Because Leonard at the three-spot can reduce fatigue, and Jones at the four-spot has better mobility. It makes no sense for Tyronn Lue to bench Jones directly. The Clippers' defense deserves praise, but their offense is too reliant on Harden, Powell, and Zubac, the trio of gunmen. Now that Leonard is back, it seems like he's not really there. If Leonard were fully healthy, it would be uncertain who would win in the final quarter today. It's clear that Leonard is still rusty. In his first game back against the Hawks, Leonard said he played at preseason intensity. Today, Kazi went 3-for-8 in the first half, making 2 of 3 three-pointers, scoring 8 points with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
However, when the Timberwolves launched a desperate counterattack in the third quarter, scoring 17-0 against the Clippers in less than four minutes, Leonard was benched. He did not return to the court after that. The Clippers, once trailing by 10 points, managed to overtake the Timberwolves in the fourth quarter thanks to Harden and Powell, which to some extent demonstrated the attacking ability of this pair. Now, the Clippers are left with only one path: whether Leonard can regain his form. Only if he can consistently contribute an average of 25 points will the Clippers undergo a qualitative change.
The Clippers' defense is already among the top five in the league, but their offense is mediocre. Leonard is the key player who can elevate the Clippers' offense; otherwise, even if you can defend well, it's useless if you can't score. In terms of overall statistics, Edwards made 14 of 29 shots, including 6 of 13 three-pointers, scoring an impressive 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. He scored 28 points in the second half alone. In the final four minutes, Hua Zi scored 13 points in succession, which indeed lived up to the description of a god descending from heaven. Additionally, Gobert scored 8 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, while DiVincenzo played a crucial role during the Timberwolves' momentum swing, ultimately scoring 15 points.
On the Clippers' side, Harden scored 22 points with 8 rebounds and 8 assists, Zubac had 17 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 blocks, Powell scored 25 points, and Leonard, in 21 minutes, went 3-for-11 from the field, scoring 8 points with a team-worst plus-minus of -17. After the loss, the Clippers' record stands at 20 wins and 16 losses, ranking seventh in the West, with the eighth-placed Warriors 1.5 games behind them. Their next game is against the Nuggets, which will be another tough battle. I think the Clippers really need to prepare well; the Nuggets have been in excellent form recently. Westbrook and Jokic are perfectly compatible, and with Murray having struggled in a few recent games, he might take out his frustration on the Clippers.