INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Allowing a first-quarter 12-0 run at the hands of the Phoenix Suns didn’t hinder the Los Angeles Clippers’ confidence on Friday night.
The Clippers put the slow start behind them, riding behind James Harden’s 30 points and Kawhi Leonard’s 27 to take down Phoenix 129-102 in LA’s home-opener.
Defense and transitioning were key for the Clips in the drubbing. LA notched 24 points off 18 forced turnovers, plus 27 fast-break points. Depth was key for head coach Tyronn Lue, who relied on reserve Kris Dunn for 21 minutes. Dunn dropped 14 points on 5-8 shooting to support the Clippers’ starting five.
Lue emphasized Dunn’s energy and defense as a vital reason for the momentum swing.
“I thought we did a really good job of just picking up our energy,” Lue said. “James [Harden] made shots, which was huge for us as well.”
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 21 points, including five 3-point makes, but his effort wasn’t enough. Phoenix appeared sloppy and disorganized after its quick start, including allowing Harden to hit three consecutive 3-pointers, turning the tide.
Chris Paul played in front of a Clippers home crowd for the first time as a member of the team since 2017, leading LA with eight assists. Bradley Beal, facing his former team, scored 6 points.
After falling to the Utah Jazz on opening night, a convincing win was all the Clippers needed. Talk of Troy reporter Kasey Kazliner digested all the action from Intuit Dome and broke down LA’s win on Unclipped, TOT’s Clippers podcast.