Clippers Survive Pelicans Scare in NBA Season Opener
The Los Angeles Clippers opened their NBA campaign with a thrilling matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans at Intuit Dome, where Kawhi Leonard’s last-second heroics ultimately decided the contest.
Pelicans’ Desperate Start
New Orleans entered the game under significant pressure, having started the season catastrophically at 0-4. With Zion Williamson injured again and rumors swirling about coach Willie Green’s potential dismissal, there was little doubt the visitors would leave everything on the court.
Clippers Take Control
The Pelicans struggled initially, dropping the first quarter 28-26. However, Tyronn Lue’s squad quickly seized control behind James Harden’s spectacular second-quarter performance. The veteran guard poured in 14 points and 5 assists in the period alone, helping the Clippers build a commanding 17-point lead with just four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Pelicans Refuse to Quit
Despite the deficit, New Orleans demonstrated why they wouldn’t go quietly. The league’s worst three-point shooting team connected on an impressive 12 of 25 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished the game shooting 48% from deep (18 of 37).
All of New Orleans’ leaders shone brightly: Zion Williamson dominated both ends with 29 points (9-17 FG), 6 rebounds, and 3 assists; Jordan Poole channeled his inner Steph Curry (7-13 from three); while Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones created crucial spacing (5-10 and 3-4 from distance respectively).
Defensive Breakdowns Concern Clippers
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue expressed concern about his team’s defensive cohesion following their previous game against Golden State. “Shots will fall or not fall, but we need to execute defensively,” Lue emphasized. “We need to understand who Jeff Van Gundy is putting us on. We need to understand our defensive plan. Today, I don’t think we looked very good, especially in the fourth quarter. I’d say the main problem was we made wrong decisions and simply stopped trusting each other.”
James Harden echoed his coach’s sentiments: “We had many opportunities to put the game away, especially in the second half. But we allowed them to come back and make everything. We had good defensive possessions – we defended for 22 seconds, but then committed fouls. We need to be more disciplined in finishing defensive possessions.”
Leonard’s Heroic Finish
As the Pelicans relentlessly chipped away at the lead, the Clippers increasingly relied on individual brilliance from their stars. In the final five minutes, Kawhi Leonard took over LA’s offense, scoring 14 of the team’s 16 points during the crucial stretch.
With 1:12 remaining, the Clippers executed a beautiful combination: Harden’s behind-the-back pass to Zubac leading to an alley-oop to Junior Jones. The reaction from team owner Steve Balmer said it all, and the highlight put Los Angeles up by 7.
But New Orleans wasn’t finished. Zion Williamson became unstoppable in the paint, drawing foul after foul until the game stood tied at 124-124 with just 10 seconds remaining. A Kawhi turnover gifted the Pelicans one final possession, and with Tyronn Lue out of timeouts and the Clippers reeling from their collapsed lead, overtime seemed inevitable.
However, Kawhi Leonard had other ideas. With just 3 seconds remaining, the Clippers superstar received the inbound pass and…
