All eyes will likely be on the player-availability report when the Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Golden State Warriors on Friday at Inglewood, Calif.
Whereas the Clippers are transferring nearer to the season debut of Kawhi Leonard, the Warriors are pondering a day of relaxation for Stephen Curry on the primary night time of a back-to-back that features a recreation at residence towards the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Leonard has but to play this season due to a continual knee subject, however he did return to contact practices earlier than the Clippers departed for a three-game street journey final week. Head coach Tyronn Lue stated Leonard wanted to take part in full practices earlier than the staff would take into account the star’s return.
The Clippers have gained three of their final 4 video games to signify one other excessive level in an up-and-down season. One in every of their most spectacular victories occurred Monday, 114-110 on the street towards the Memphis Grizzlies.
Norman Powell continues to look comfy in a leading-scorer position with 29 factors, whereas going 4 of 8 from 3-point vary. James Harden had 21 factors, 9 assists and eight rebounds in his do-everything point-guard position. Ivica Zubac managed the within with 20 factors and 19 rebounds and added 4 steals.
“All people’s concerned,” Lue stated. “It is not coaches and gamers. We’re all on the identical staff and that is how we deal with one another. It is not this facet and that facet. We’re all collectively. We win collectively, we lose collectively, we make errors collectively. That is who we’re.”
Staying a collective unit has helped the Clippers to excel on protection and that got here to the forefront by holding the Grizzlies to twenty factors within the fourth quarter. Memphis was nicely beneath its NBA-best 122.7 factors per recreation.
“To carry them to 110 on their residence ground says rather a lot about what we’re doing defensively,” Lue stated.
Curry almost pulled off an unlikely comeback for the Warriors on Christmas Day when he scored eight factors within the closing 25.7 seconds and made a pair of 3-pointers within the closing 12.9 seconds. However Golden State couldn’t overcome a 109-100 deficit with 1:30 to play regardless of Curry tying the sport on a 3-pointer with 7.6 seconds left.
Curry scored 38 factors in what head coach Steve Kerr stated was a “laborious” 36 minutes. Andrew Wiggins scored 21 factors with 12 rebounds.
Earlier than the sport, Curry performed a players-initiated assembly that burdened the urgency wanted within the upcoming portion of the schedule. Even in defeat, the message gave the impression to be acquired, with Curry main by instance.
“We’re proper in that window the place we are able to nonetheless regain some momentum for the following nevertheless many weeks earlier than the (All-Star) break,” Curry stated. “Or else we’re in a state of affairs the place we’re chasing down the stretch and no one desires to be there.”
Whereas Golden State did put forth a successful effort Wednesday, the truth is that the staff has dropped 5 of its final six video games.
“We had an awesome vibe early within the season and we’re going by it proper now, however I like our guys,” Kerr stated. “Excessive-character guys. They care.”
–Discipline Stage Media