Roscoe Sheed wrote:I’m a bit concerned that Lue seems to think that their offensive strategy was fine down the stretch. Sure, you expect Kawhi to make more of those midrange isos, but you have to try something else eventually if he doesn’t have it going- like give the ball to Powell considering how well he was playing.
Two-way superstars, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, did not perform as expected for the LA Clippers.
After several games of playing at an All-NBA level, Kawhi Leonard had one of his toughest offensive performances for the LA Clippers. Leonard accounted for a double-double, but he was limited on offense when guarded by guard Jrue Holiday. Specifically, Holiday limited Leonard in isolation, as he rarely passed the ball trying to get to his spots.
Moreover, George did not show up to play in the second half. His poor ball control paved the way for missed opportunities to Norman Powell, who had a great offensive night. Additionally, George was 2-of-6 at the free throw line, adding to how he was feeding into the energy of Milwaukee’s home crowd and stadium.
Furthermore, Leonard and George combined for 33 points on 42 attempts while only making three of their 11 three-pointers. What’s more, these two stars shot 2-of-13 in the fourth quarter. This match-up was a chance for Leonard and George to show they are capable of winning against the best teams, however, they did the exact opposite.
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The real problem, however, was the lack of support behind Zubac. The two-way wing, Nicolas Batum, had a rough defensive performance against Antetokounmpo as he was -24 in only 17 minutes. This allowed the Bucks to build their confidence and take the lead late in the game.
https://clipperholics.com/2023/02/04/kawhi-leonard-playing-msg-injuries-la-clippers/