Doc Rivers praises Montrezl Harrell after Clippers rout Pelicans
Monday 25 November 2019 07:40, UK
Clippers coach Doc Rivers praised Montrezl Harrell after the forward posted a career-high 34 points in LA's hammering of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Rivers has seen the Los Angeles Clippers roster undergo many changes over the past 15 months. Harrell has remained one of the few constants.
Harrell showed again on Sunday night that he should not be overlooked despite the additions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The fifth-year forward tied a career-high with 34 points as the Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 134-109 for their fifth straight win.
"They are starting to see Montrez is good. He can score a lot of different ways and it seems like each year he is adding more to his game," Rivers said. "He went left a couple times tonight when the scouting report is to not have him go right."
It is the fifth 30-point game of Harrell's career and the second time he has scored 34 this season (the other was November 6 against Milwaukee). He was 13-of-18 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds as he led the Clippers in scoring for the fourth time this season.
Leonard scored 24 points, Lou Williams added 19 and Paul George had 18 for the Clippers, who have won 11 of 12 at home.
"It is great that we can still be able to run and collect wins while we are still adjusting," Harrell said. "We are a deep team and anyone can have a big night."
Brandon Ingram, one of three Lakers players involved in the Anthony Davis trade, led New Orleans with 24 points and eight rebounds in his first game back at Staples Center. Jrue Holiday scored 18 and E'Twaun Moore had 17.
"There have been a couple of times where we have been down and try to fight back and it has been a little too hard with the deficits. I feel like that has been the standard so far," Holiday said.
Los Angeles led 40-27 and then increased their advantage to 62-37 on George's three with 5:55 remaining in the first half.
"The slow starts are killing us. You can't give up 40 in a quarter unless you are going to score 45, and we were not going to score 45 against that team," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.
In the three games that Leonard and George have played together, the Clippers are averaging 15.3 three-pointers per game, which is five more than the first 14 games. Los Angeles had 16 three-pointers on Sunday with eight players hitting from beyond the arc. George led the way with six triples.
"Everyone is trapping on us but we are moving the ball and getting great looks. They're wide open, so we better take them," Rivers said.
