The LA Clippers are starting to build momentum at the right time. Los Angeles secured its second straight victory with a 114-101 win over the Golden State Warriors, powered by a vintage, All-Star-caliber outing from Kawhi Leonard.
The Clippers shot 49.4% from the field, dominated the glass 52-40, and overwhelmed Golden State inside, outscoring them 62-36 in the paint. Here are five key takeaways from a complete performance.
1. Kawhi Leonard Looked Like An Elite Star
Kawhi Leonard was efficient, composed, and in total control.
He finished with 23 points on 9-14 shooting, drilled 3-6 from beyond the arc, and went a perfect 2-2 at the free-throw line. Leonard added eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and just one turnover in 29 minutes, posting a +16 plus/minus.
What stood out most was his shot selection. He picked his spots, attacked mismatches, and punished defenders in the midrange. When the Warriors tried to crowd him, he calmly found shooters or cutters. This wasn’t forced scoring – it was surgical.
2. Interior Dominance Set The Tone
The Clippers physically overwhelmed Golden State.
Los Angeles scored 62 points in the paint compared to just 36 for the Warriors. They grabbed 52 rebounds overall, including 15 offensive boards, and turned those into consistent second-chance opportunities.
Kris Dunn added 16 points on 7-10 shooting while contributing seven rebounds and seven assists. Brook Lopez chipped in six points and four rebounds while anchoring defensively. Off the bench, Yanic Konan Niederhauser delivered 11 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks in 21 minutes, finishing +10 and protecting the rim consistently.
Golden State shot just 38.7% from the field (36-93). Even when they generated decent looks, the Clippers’ interior presence forced tough finishes.
3. Free-Throw Efficiency Was A Huge Edge
Although the Clippers had a poor three-point shooting performance (9-31, 29.0%), they did well at the charity stripe.
They made 21 out of 23 free throws, an exceptional 91.3%. The Warriors, however, only went 12-17 (70.6%). The difference of 9 free throws helped lessen the 3-point shooting discrepancy (17 made threes) against the Warriors.
Bennedict Mathurin was the most aggressive scorer with 17 points (6-13) and 5-5 from the line. Darius Garland contributed 12 points but was a liability with 5 turnovers.
As the game gets closer, the more important free throws become. The Clippers capitalized on every opportunity they had.
4. Warriors’ Shooting Volume Couldn’t Save Them
The Golden State Warriors made 17 threes out of 48 attempts for a 35.4% conversion rate. With that being said, they clearly needed some more buckets inside the paint.
Brandin Podziemski was the top points getter for the Warriors with 22 points, 9-18 shooting, 7 rebounds, and 3-6 from distance. Al Horford also did well with 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 4-8 shooting from deep.
The rest of the starting unit was a lot less efficient. Draymond Green scored 4 points and 1-5 shooting while also being a -18. Regrettably, De’Anthony Melton was 3-14.
The Warriors lost the game because of their physical battle.
5. Defense And Rebounding Finished It
Statistically, Golden State were losing for 69% of the game, meaning the Clippers were clutch in the critical periods.
Their defense was the biggest contributor in this game. The Clippers recorded 9 steals, 7 blocks, and held the Warriors to 38.7% shooting. Even more, they were restricted to 14 turnovers while the Clippers only allowed 15 points from their turnovers. 23 points were scored from turnovers by Golden State.
The Warriors got a few second chances because of the defensive rebounding margin (37-25). When the Clippers needed to get stops in the end, they did, and then they got points on the other end.
Two wins in a row. Presence in the paint. Kawhi is playing like an All-Star.
If the Clippers can keep playing like this, they will be a big problem for everyone.
