Pleasantly surprised! On January 28, 2024, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Boston Celtics by a margin of 37 points by a margin of 115-96. In this game, the Clippers once reached a staggering 36-point lead. So, what kind of changes made them such a remarkable victory?
In the last round of matchups, Leonard left the game due to injury. Now, he has helped his side win at home to the then league leader Celtic. It is worth our attention that this game compared to the last time, the Green Army only lacked Porzingis. In the previous defeat, Porzingis was also unavailable. From this point of view, although the opponent remains the same, the return of Leonard has undoubtedly brought a major shock to the situation.
In this game, Leonard showed great strength. After only 29 minutes of play, he scored 26 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. It has become a double weapon for offense and defense.
Leonard has played in 82 games this season and missed only four of them, but unfortunately he has only won twice, especially because the Clippers lost to the Thunder by a mere 17 points when he was not playing, and the Celtics were in a serious situation, losing by a full 37 points. This fully reveals that the Clippers without Leonard are still immature in the fierce competition. However, when Leonard was fortunate enough to join the Clippers and play alongside the rest of the team, they did improve dramatically, and against the same opponents, the Clippers were significantly different.
Talking about the team's excellent record this season, Clippers coach Mr. Lu spoke highly of it: "This is mainly due to the dedication of our players, especially George, Ka, Westbrook and Harden. He especially praised Harden, saying that he quickly adapted and established a lineup with a small card as the core, and the four star players have achieved a new tacit understanding through running-in. It's worth mentioning that the team can win 9 more when Harden is on the court6 points, but if you leave, the goal difference drops to just 20 points, the difference is as high as 76 points. At the same time, teammate Wei Shao took the initiative to sacrifice personal data to replace other fans on the field to play as a substitute, in order to improve the overall teamwork ability.
After hard work, the teamwork of the Clippers has gradually become more and more perfect. Since November 18 last year, Mann has been a regular player and a starter, and the team's competitive level has steadily improved, with a total of 27 wins and 7 defeats, a winning percentage of 794% and the highest league in the same period. This is followed by a strong offensive prowess (122 in offensive and defensive efficiency0) and excellent three-point shooting (40 from three-point range4%), all of which are the best in the league.
It's worth pointing out that although the Clippers have yet to win a championship and have never stepped foot in the Finals, will this formidable team be able to break the curse for the first time in 54 years this season?
Experts say the Clippers' recent outstanding results are due to the selfless dedication and mental commitment of each team member. They fully understand and respect how to do their best to improve the level of the whole team in the game, regardless of personal gains and losses. In addition, Leonard's health is undoubtedly one of the important reasons for the team's soaring results.
The Clippers' victory sparked a lot of buzz and anticipation, with fans eager to win their first championship in franchise history. More importantly, the Clippers' successful experience has also greatly encouraged other teams to devote themselves to the competition and pursue the glory of the whole team. The Clippers persevered in the face of tough rivals against the Celtics, and ultimately won a crucial victory, proving that as long as Leonard is in shape, they have what it takes to stand up to any opponent. Recently, the selfless dedication of the players has been the driving force behind the team's continued upturn. If the Clippers win the first championship in team history this year, it will undoubtedly become a glorious historical milestone for this team that has gone through 54 years of ups and downs.
We look forward to sharing your thoughts on the Clippers' recent performance in the comments below. In the same way, if this article has helped you, don't forget to share it with your friends so that we can experience the charm of clippers together!