Kawhi Leonard and Paul George show potential in win over Houston
All-Stars contribute key buckets down the stretch, despite lack of practice
Saturday 23 November 2019 12:41, UK
In their second game together, the leaders of the new-look LA Clippers showed why there were tipped as title favourites before the season.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George led the Clippers to a last-minute 122-119 win over the Houston Rockets in front of a packed home crowd on Friday, with each player scoring key buckets when it mattered most.
"You got Lou, Kawhi and Paul George. They're going to be composed," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said - also noting the play of super-sub Lou Williams. "They've been in big games. Each one made a big shot down the stretch."
The teams traded leads in the fourth with neither leading by more than four until the final minute.
George hit a pull-up three-pointer with 51 seconds left, and Leonard sealed the deal with an 18-foot jumper with seconds remaining as he was swarmed by Houston's PJ Tucker.
Leonard finished with 24 points and George added 19, while scrappy team-mate Montrezl Harrell had 18.
Because George was sidelined at the start of the season as he recovered from double-shoulder surgery, the high-profile acquisitions have not been able to practice with each other during the Clippers' hectic schedule.
Most of the team's work gets done at game-day shootarounds.
"Not being able to practice with each other, when we go out there we start seeing what the opponents [are] doing on both ends of the floor and kind of just get into a rhythm," Leonard said.
"We play our best basketball in the fourth quarter. Everyone's trying to make shots, execute and play great defense."
The fact Leonard and Paul are both defensive-minded All Stars - combining for five seals on the night - benefits them while they fine tune their offensive patterns.
"We're basically learning within these games, but there comes a time in the game where it feels like we find a way," George said. "We execute at the right times. We find the stops we need at the right times."
Rockets attack
The Clippers withstood a 37-point, 12-assist point from James Harden, who is leading the league in scoring with 38.3 per game. He had a career-high 11 three-pointers on the night.
"We didn't finish the way we needed to, obviously, but we were very, very confident," Harden said. Russell Westbrook added 22 points before fouling out late, and Clint Capela had 17 points and 19 rebounds for the Rockets.
There were none of the theatrics that marked their last meeting, an overtime win by the Rockets in Houston on November 13.
Harden scored 47 points, Rivers got ejected with his rival son Austin egging on the referees and Westbrook disparaged Patrick Beverley's defense on Harden.
Beverley fouled out with less than two minutes left, covering Harden for most of the night.
"I learned over my career," Beverly told the Houston Chronicle before the match. "I try not to listen to anything and do whatever it takes to impact the game and try to help my team win."
