Kawhi Leonard, a name familiar to many basketball fans, is one of the NBA's top stars. In recent seasons, Leonard has been the subject of much controversy due to injuries that kept him out of playoff games, leading to frustration among fans. However, he has recently made a comeback, scoring 23 points against the Brooklyn Nets and 19 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, demonstrating his efficiency on the court. Despite his long absence from games, Leonard's fighting power has not diminished, and he remains an indispensable member of the Clippers. This season, during Leonard's absence, James Harden took on the responsibility of leading the team, helping the Clippers achieve good results. Since Leonard's return, the team has been developing in a better direction, securing four consecutive victories after defeating the Lakers and ranking fifth in the Western Conference. It is well-known that previously, due to injuries, Leonard withdrew from the US men's basketball team and missed the Olympics. At the start of the new season, there were even rumors that he would be out for the entire season. His injury troubles were indeed severe, but he has only recently returned, playing five games with an average contribution of 13.6 points and gradually regaining his form. However, after beating the Lakers, Leonard announced an unexpected decision. Leonard officially announced his withdrawal from the game against the Chicago Bulls. According to the schedule, after today's game, the Clippers will face the Bulls in a back-to-back match tomorrow. As Leonard has just returned and needs time to adjust, he decided to withdraw.…

The NBA regular season is more than halfway through, and the overall situation in the West is gradually becoming clear. The Thunder stands alone in the top tier, basically securing the first place in the Western Conference for the regular season, with teams behind unable to catch up. From the Rockets to the Clippers, the overall records are not too different, and the Rockets face a tough challenge in their remaining schedule. The Nuggets and Grizzlies have been relatively stable, while the Clippers, with Harden leading the team to at least sixth place, have added Leonard, which, according to Su Qun, would make them a Western Conference Finals-level team and one of the favorites to win the championship if the playoffs started immediately. In comparison, teams like the Lakers, Mavericks, and Timberwolves are less competitive; the Lakers lack defense and Davis is disengaged; the Mavericks miss Doncic; and the Timberwolves' competitiveness has significantly declined due to Towns' departure. These are basically the playoff teams in the West. As for the Suns and Warriors further back, even if they make the playoffs, they don't have much room for improvement; the Warriors lack a ball-handler; the Suns only have Durant and Booker as single-shot options. ESPN conducted a summary of the first half of the season and voted on the most surprising team in the West. According to a columnist, the Clippers' performance has made everyone reevaluate the team. From being predicted to finish 13th in the West at the beginning of the season to being firmly in fifth place at halftime,…

The Clippers and Lakers game was something everyone saw, after all, every Los Angeles derby sparks different fireworks. Judging from the final result, the Clippers were the winning side, achieving a significant 14-point victory. This win not only secured their place in the standings but also accumulated victories for themselves. So, analyzing from the Clippers' perspective, how should we interpret this game? A big win with widespread success, four players contributing to the victory, the Clippers' three giants becoming four, and one player deserving an All-Star spot. Those who frequently watch the Los Angeles derby know that the Lakers have been suppressed in recent years, while the Clippers have played with their own insights. This game was no exception; the Clippers controlled the pace throughout the match, leading by as much as 26 points at one point, ultimately securing a 14-point victory. For the Clippers, they are already familiar with such a game rhythm, and there are too many people capable of scoring during the game, presenting a widespread success. The Clippers won in their own way, which was quite lively. So, who contributed to the Clippers' victory? The first is Harden. It's true that Harden's shooting efficiency wasn't high in this game, but his value cannot be measured solely by shooting. While scoring 21 points, Harden also dished out 12 assists, securing a stable 20+10 stat line. This season's Harden is like Paul when he was with the Thunder, experiencing a second spring. It can be foreseen that Harden will make it to the All-Star team this season, though…

A 14-point victory for the Clippers as Harden scores 21+12 and Leonard plays efficiently, while Zubac outperforms Davis and LeBron reaches a historic seventh place On January 20th, Beijing time, the Clippers played against the Lakers at home, with the game ending in a 116-102 victory for the Clippers. Both teams have been in good form recently, with the Clippers securing a three-game winning streak and the Lakers achieving two consecutive victories. However, the Clippers boast the second-best defensive efficiency in the league this season, whereas the Lakers' defense has been poor and their offense inconsistent, making it challenging for them to win games. This match was crucial for the Lakers, as they are only half a game behind the Clippers. The Clippers' starting lineup for the game was Harden, Powell, Leonard, Jones, and Zubac, while the Lakers started with Reeves, Christie, Hachimura, James, and Davis. In the first quarter, Hachimura scored on a cut, followed by Powell's counterattack score. Zubac and Powell continued to contribute points, but James responded with consecutive three-pointers. Later, Harden completed a 3+1 play, and after a timeout, Leonard hit a three-pointer, giving the Clippers a six-point lead. After another timeout, James and Christie tried to close the gap, but Leonard quickly responded. The game remained close until the end of the quarter when Harden led the Clippers to extend their lead, finishing the first quarter with the Lakers trailing by six points. In the second quarter, Leonard and Batum attempted to increase the lead, followed by Reeves finding his offensive rhythm to keep the…

On January 20th, the NBA regular season continued with a derby match between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. In this game, Harden achieved a milestone by surpassing Oscar Robertson to move up to 14th place in history, while Leonard reached his career 14,000-point milestone. The Clippers ultimately defeated the Lakers 116-102. With this victory, the Clippers secured their fourth consecutive win, while the Lakers' two-game winning streak came to an end. Clippers (24-17): Harden scored 21 points and had 12 assists, Powell scored 22 points, Zubac scored 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, and Leonard contributed 19 points and 4 assists. Lakers (22-18): James scored 25 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and had 11 assists, Davis scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Reeves scored 14 points, Hachimura scored 19 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, and Knickert scored 10 points. In the first quarter, Harden's 3+1 and Leonard's three-pointer helped the Clippers take an 18-12 lead at 6 minutes and 49 seconds. Davis scored six points in a row, and the Lakers narrowed the gap to 23-26 in the latter half of the quarter. After that, both teams exchanged blows on the court, and at the end of the first quarter, the Clippers led the Lakers by 32-26. In the second quarter, Kevin Porter Jr. scored seven points in a row, and the Clippers went on a 13-3 run in the middle of the quarter, leading 56-44 with 4 minutes and 13 seconds left. The Lakers' offense continued to struggle, while the Clippers expanded their lead with…

This season's NBA regular season has quietly passed the halfway point, with fierce competition in the West. The top three teams have remained unchanged for over a month, with the Thunder firmly in first place, the Rockets' losses largely unexpected, and the Grizzlies maintaining a win rate of over 60%, with everyone contributing. In addition, the Mavericks have plummeted since Doncic's injury after Christmas, leading the 12th-placed Spurs by only two games. If Doncic returns during the All-Star period, the Mavericks may have to climb from 12th in the West. The Suns and Warriors maintain a 50% win rate, two teams that have fallen from first in the West, both with obvious problems but unable to solve them. For example, the Suns want to trade Beal, but Beal is not willing; after Kuminga's injury, Curry lacks someone to carry the ball, making each game very tough. The Lakers are inconsistent, and it's hard to understand the team's direction, knowing only that Davis is tired at the five position, and LeBron sometimes feels his age. However, among this group, one team has been particularly stable, hovering between 5th and 7th place, which is the Clippers. To be precise, when Harden leads the team alone, he supports the Clippers' lower limit to a win rate exceeding 55%, and Leonard's return seamlessly connects, slowly putting the team on track. A 59-point victory and a 29-point victory! Despite being ruthlessly suppressed by the league, you are really going for the championship this season. Starting with the Clippers' recent two big wins, due to the…

The NBA season is already halfway through, and recently ESPN journalists have commented on the most impressive players in the first half of the season, listing eight players. Most of them are young people under 30 years old. Harden is the only player over 30 among them; he is currently 35 years old and tops the league, with no veteran able to match his influence in the first half of the season. The other seven are Towns, CC Cunningham, Wembanyama, Daniels, Ball, the Nets' Johnson, and the Clippers' Powell. Powell also shines brightly in Harden's system. Because Harden can attract defensive resources to swarm around Powell, Powell has played the most efficient and outstanding game of his career this season. According to statistics, when Harden is unable to play, Powell's data and shooting percentage experience a cliff-like decline. Many people say that Harden is not the core of the Clippers because of his low shooting percentage and the fact that Powell and Zubac have thick legs, but the fact is that Harden is the leader. When ESPN praised Harden as the most impressive player in the first half of the season, renowned journalist Tim Bontemps also evaluated him. Bontemps believes that Harden's performance in the first half of this year is the reason why the Clippers can rank fifth in the West. Bontemps also compares Philadelphia and the Clippers. George, who earns 50millionayear,lefttheClippers,whileHardenrenewedhiscontractfor50 million a year, left the Clippers, while Harden renewed his contract for 50millionayear,lefttheClippers,whileHardenrenewedhiscontractfor70 million over two years. However, the results of the two teams are different; Philadelphia's…

This game was not just a disappointment; many fans were completely let down. Why? The Clippers had a great opportunity to jump from 7th to 4th in the West when the Nuggets were playing back-to-back and Jokic was resting, but they ended up suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of an undermanned Nuggets team. The gap between expectation and reality was simply too large. Behind this loss, the absence and return of Kawhi Leonard became the focus of many issues. The Clippers' defeat really broke the hearts of their fans. When everyone was eagerly expecting the team to seize the opportunity and make a push, they were met with such a result. Losing to an undermanned Nuggets team and missing the perfect chance to improve their ranking caused the fans' expectations for the Clippers' performance this season to instantly collapse. This disappointment is like preparing to receive a big gift with great joy, only to find an empty box upon opening it. It's hard to describe how terrible that feeling is. Clippers fans are deeply resentful of Leonard's absence. Rationally speaking, when Los Angeles suffered a massive volcanic disaster, he went back to take care of his family, which is understandable because life is bigger than basketball. However, looking at the entire team, the coaching staff and players, many have settled or bought houses in Los Angeles, with Harden and Westbrook being native Angelenos. When their hometown was in trouble, others confirmed the safety of their families through phone calls and videos and continued to persevere, but as a…

The Clippers are determined this season to secure a spot among the top six in the Western Conference playoffs. Currently, the top three spots are firmly held by the Thunder, Rockets, and Grizzlies, with intense competition for the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions. The Clippers are not backing down, especially after Leonard's return, setting their sights on the top four in the West, which is quite exciting! Leonard's return is a significant event for the Clippers. This superstar's defensive capabilities have always been consistent, like a solid line of defense that makes it hard for opponents to break through. However, his offensive performance since returning has been somewhat concerning, with a shooting percentage of only 10 out of 31 attempts, which isn't great. But don't worry too much; he's just returned and needs time to adjust. Coach Tyronn Lue also mentioned that Leonard is expected to have his minutes restriction lifted in February, at which point he'll be able to play more freely. Harden expressed in an interview that Leonard is working hard to recover, and we need to give him some patience. I believe that once Leonard regains his offensive touch, the Clippers' strength will definitely reach new heights. While Leonard's state hasn't fully recovered, Harden has taken up the mantle for the Clippers. Averaging 21.5 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season, his career regular-season total points have reached 26,660, just a little short of surpassing Dominique Wilkins for 15th place in history. Not only is Harden great at scoring, but his organizational…

Kawhi Leonard's return to the Clippers is truly terrifying, as the Atlanta Hawks were the first team to experience it firsthand. Honestly, there were doubts among spectators about whether Leonard could play normally upon his return and if the Clippers would perform better. It's unclear why there was such high anticipation for Leonard's comeback. However, it turned out that Leonard was indeed worth waiting for. Despite being cautious on the court and not making too many moves, an undeniable fact is that whenever Leonard is on the court, he exerts a deterrent force, causing other Clippers players to become naturally excited. This may be where Leonard's value lies. Even after 253 days of recuperation from injury, Leonard's offense has yet to fully recover, but his defense remains top-notch. This is a powerful gene inherent in him, which is essentially talent. On the court, with just a stretch of his hand, opponents feel the pressure. The two classic steals against the Hawks reminded fans of Leonard's steal against LeBron James in a previous battle. At that time, Leonard was still young, while James was at the peak of his career. Yet, even the mighty James fell short against the "concrete-like" defense of the young Leonard. That match made Leonard famous overnight. A healthy Leonard is undoubtedly one of the top small forwards in the league, capable of creating endless "trouble" for top-tier opponents. He is truly deserving of being a two-time Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY). As Leonard matured, he entered the pinnacle of an NBA star with the glow…