On December 17, the NBA regular season staged a hot matchup, the New York Knicks faced the Los Angeles Clippers away, and the result was a 122-144 loss. The Clippers have been in excellent form recently, winning six consecutive games, forming a stable style of play and tactical core, and the tacit cooperation of the Big Four has become more and more tacit. The Knicks, on the other hand, reversed the Suns with Brunson's 50-point performance in the previous game, and their morale was high. However, the Knicks fought back-to-back games in this game, making two consecutive away trips, which was quite a test of physical fitness. In contrast, the Clippers have home-court advantage, and George is back from injury, and the overall strength has the upper hand. In theory, the Clippers have the absolute advantage in this game, but the Knicks have been on a hot streak lately, making them a difficult opponent to watch.
After the game began, the Clippers quickly got into the groove, and Zubac used Harden's pass to complete the violent dunk, showing strong offensive firepower. Leonard hit a three-pointer and Zubac scored nine points on 3-of-4 shooting. The game became more and more intense, and Brunson slapped Wei Shao in the face while grabbing a rebound, and Wei Shao insisted on playing despite being injured. After that, the Clippers stepped up their offense, with George scoring a driving layup and the Knicks responding with a three-pointer from DiVincenzo. At the end of the first quarter of the game, the Clippers led the Knicks 35-33.
Entering the second quarter, the Clippers were on fire, and Harden grabbed Hart for a turnover, and then helped Theis complete the aerial relay. The two sides were full of gunpowder, Hart was ejected from the game due to dissatisfaction with the penalty, and Wei Shao waved his hand. The Clippers continued to exert their strength, and players such as Harden and George scored one after another, and the game presented a climax. The Knicks fought back with Brunson leading the way, but the Clippers still held the lead. At the end of the first half, the Clippers led the Knicks 77-66.
In the second half, the Clippers continued to be hot, especially Leonard's hot hand, which once scored 16 points in a single quarter. The Knicks struggled to respond, but couldn't stop the Clippers' offense, and by the time the game entered the fourth quarter, the Clippers had a 16-point lead. In the final quarter, the Clippers continued to extend their lead, and finally defeated the Knicks 144-122, ushering in a seven-game winning streak.
In the game, Leonard performed well, playing 30 minutes, scoring 36 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Harden easily connected the whole team, scoring 10 points, 4 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. George contributed 25 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals. Overall, the Clippers have been impressive, while the Knicks have shown a spirit of perseverance on the road. This game not only made the Clippers a seven-game winning streak, but also impressed people with the excellent performances of players such as Leonard and Harden.