On December 30, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued, and the Clippers hosted the Grizzlies. The Clippers, led by George and Harden, played a solid performance to end a two-game losing streak with a 117-106 win over the Grizzlies, as well as ending the Grizzlies' seven-game winning streak.
The Clippers' George had a game-high 23 points and seven rebounds, Harden contributed 16 points and 13 assists, and Zubac had a double-double of 15 points and 20 rebounds. The Grizzlies had 22 points and four assists, Smart and Morant had 22 and 19 points, the latter had 10 assists, but their efforts weren't enough to change the game.
At the beginning of the game, the two sides launched a fierce attack, and the Grizzlies once took an 8-2 lead with the outside firepower of Jalen Jr. and Smart. But the Clippers quickly found their groove, and Harden scored 10 points and four assists in the first quarter to help the team overtake the score. At the end of the first quarter, the Clippers led 33-25.
In the second quarter, the Clippers' advantage was even more obvious, and their defense put the Grizzlies' offense in a difficult situation, while their offense was more fluid, with Westbrook, Theis, and Covington all playing well, and the Clippers led by 15 points at one point. The Grizzlies, led by Jalen Jackson, Smart and Bane, went on an 11-0 run to tie the score. But the Clippers didn't panic, Zubac scored back-to-back points inside, and Willis assisted Mann for a layup, and the Clippers ended the first half with a 59-54 lead.
In the second half, the Clippers continued to hold the lead, George scored 12 points in the third quarter, and the Clippers led by 14 points at one point. The Grizzlies didn't give up, with Morant and Aldama scoring back-to-back points as the Grizzlies tied the score with just over three minutes left in the quarter. But the Clippers didn't let the Grizzlies overtake, and George and Westbrook scored back-to-back points to give the Clippers an 88-81 lead heading into the final quarter.
In the final quarter, the Clippers didn't give the Grizzlies any chances, their defense was tighter, the Grizzlies' shooting percentage dropped significantly, and their offense was more efficient, George and Harden scored back-to-back points, and the Clippers extended their advantage to 17 points. The Grizzlies had some comebacks in the final moments, but they were powerless, and the Clippers won the game 117-106.
The game was a big game for the Clippers, as they ended a two-game losing streak and ended the Grizzlies' seven-game winning streak. The Clippers' twin stars George and Harden have both played at their level, and their cooperation is becoming more and more tacit, and the Clippers' roster is becoming more and more complete, and they are expected to play a bigger role in the Western Conference race.
The Grizzlies' loss doesn't change their strength, they are still a dark horse in the West, their young players are doing well, their team basketball is also amazing, they have enough confidence and strength to compete with any team in the West.
It was a great matchup, with both teams showing their quality and style, and they also gave us a visual feast, so let's look forward to their next encounter.