The Los Angeles Clippers will be smiling in their hotel rooms in Phoenix tonight after winning Game 1 on the road in the first round of the playoffs.
Russell Westbrook was the difference-maker in the clutch after having a rough offensive game, hitting clutch free throws and pulling off a game-winning block. Westbrook kept himself humble when the NBA social media team spoke to him in the tunnel.
“Good win, locked up Game 1. Have to come back and do the same in Game 2. Serious. We ain’t do nothing yet, we ain’t do nothing.”
Russ sounds off after the Game 1 W in Phoenix 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/oL8UTKSjQR
— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2023
Westbrook will want to avoid having another 3/19 shooting performance next game while keeping up the level of defensive intensity we saw tonight. The former MVP has become a role player but he executed flawlessly on the defensive end for most of the game and helped his team get this road playoff win.
Who’s The Difference Maker In This Series?
Many have said that Russ’s performances will ultimately dictate if the Clippers can win this series even though Paul George won’t be playing. Westbrook is an important player but nobody decides the game for LAC like Kawhi Leonard. We’ve seen him take over playoff games before and he did so tonight, making tough shots at the end of the game to score 38 on the night.
Leonard needs to be able to match the offensive volume of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to give his team a shot at winning this series. He comfortably outscored both players tonight and it’ll be interesting to see if he can continue doing that for the rest of the series. If he can’t, the Clippers may struggle to match up with the Suns.
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