James Harden starts well for the Clippers against the Knicks. The 2018 MVP accompanies Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac while New York finds RJ Barrett on its side.
The first half, however, is very, very far from being fireworks. Both teams are clumsy, with a 3/14 from afar for the Knicks and a just better 6/21 from the Clippers from a long distance, including a 0/8 from the Leonard/George duo. Paul George thus concludes the first half at 1/7 in shooting, but Los Angeles is still in the lead (46-42) in this meeting played at a senatorial pace…
We feel that the first team that manages to establish rhythm will take a serious advantage, while Mason Plumlee must come out, Julius Randle having hit his leg while throwing himself to the ground to recover a ball.
It was ultimately the Knicks substitutes who made the difference at the start of the fourth quarter.
While the two teams are tied (76-76) at the start of the last 12 minutes, it is Immanuel Quickley, Isaiah Hartenstein and especially Donte DiVincenzo who will swing the match towards the locals.
In a match that had failed to ignite until then, the 23-7 that they initiated at the start of the fourth quarter made the difference to spoil (111-97) James Harden’s first with his new team.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– No rhythm. On both sides, there was a problem with tempo, with neither team managing to ignite the match. We know that Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks limit possessions, while the Clippers were mainly looking to set things up for James Harden’s big premiere.
– A James Harden on the fly. “I felt a little weird on the field, not really having a preseason game or the opportunity to participate in a full training camp. I tried to follow my instincts as a basketball player, which I have done over the last few years trying to make the game easier for everyone. » “The Beard” (17 points, 6 assists) didn’t force it, even if he had the ball in his hands more than one might have imagined, trying to set things up. But the integration of a player is never easy, especially in these conditions, and James Harden and his new teammates have especially tried not to bother each other, sometimes forgetting to bother their opponents…
– Acceleration is enough. Given the pace of the match and the skill of the two teams, we quickly felt that the slightest acceleration would be decisive. It took place at the start of the fourth quarter for the Knicks.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Donte DiVincenzo. While the two teams started the fourth quarter tied, his general activity (interception, passing, rebounds, baskets, etc.) allowed the Knicks to pull away.
⛔ Paul George. 10 points only at 2/11 shooting. His clumsiness, both in shooting and passing (4 ball losses) personified the problems of the Clippers in this meeting, who must integrate James Harden but will have to find players to do the dirty work. And Paul George will have a key role to play…
⛔ The lack of fast play from the Clippers. Dominated in rebounding (48 shots to 31 for the Knicks), the Clippers never managed to run. Only 6 points on counterattack, compared to 26 for the Knicks.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
