The Los Angeles Clippers started a new NBA season the best way, leaving no chance to their crosstown rivals Los Angeles Lakers, beating them 116-109 in the season opener after a ring ceremony that missed the Clippers on the court.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George led the way for the Clippers, who started the season the same way they started the prior one, beating the Lakers at Staples Center. Even though it was the first game of the season, this was very meaningful for the Clippers and fortunately, they left the arena as winners.
The pressure on this team is big this season after the fiasco they lived in the Orlando bubble, blowing a 3-1 advantage over the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the postseason. Now Leonard and George are ready to prove their doubters wrong and things started the best way for them.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George address Clippers Nation after beating Lakers
After the game, both stars talked with the media, explaining their expectations entering this game and what they expect to do and see in this important season. The Clippers know that to win, they need to have the Klaw and PG13 at their highest level and they showed flashes of that on Tuesday night.
“I thought it was great,” Paul George said after the win. “I thought we got great shots. Time after time, we got the shots we wanted. Again, it’s being aggressive, we put the ball on the ground and we attacked and we found the open man.”
Moreover, Kawhi talked about his teammate, explaining that last season his shots weren’t falling. George started this season showing a different face and the team can’t be more excited about it.
“Just because somebody makes shots, it doesn’t mean that they’re a leader,” Leonard said. “You can’t just say that. Last year in the playoffs when he was missing shots, he was still talking, communicating, playing the right way, playing defense, they just didn’t fall for him. And tonight, his shots fell but obviously he is making my job easier by talking to people and like I said, giving instructions on missed assignments or if we are not running the plays right. You just can’t say a leader because you are making shots. I don’t think that’s fair.”
It’s only one game, as stated before, but the Clippers know they have the tools to have a deep run this season. The Clips don’t have the same expectations they had last year and that’s an advantage for them. Time will tell if they finally play the Western Conference Finals, but one imagines the fact that they’re no longer in the bubble could play in their favor.
