Leonard and George dominate in Clippers' 123-111 win over the Trail Blazers to open the season
LOS ANGELES (AP) Paul George scored 27 points and Kawhi Leonard added 23 to lead five players in double figures as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123-111 in their season opener Wednesday night.
The Clippers had Leonard and George together for just 38 games last season, when both were derailed by injuries and the team lost in the first round of the playoffs. But they’re healthy and in the lineup at the same time now, raising expectations for the Clippers as they pursue the franchise’s first NBA championship.
“It feels good,” Leonard said. “I'm happy I had a good offseason and I'm able to get back healthy.”
Ivica Zubac had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Russell Westbrook added 11 points and 13 assists - making him the first Clippers player with at least 13 assists in a season opener since Andre Miller in October 2002.
Leonard made all five of his 3-point attempts and the Clippers hit 16 total, the most in a season opener in franchise history. Their 36 assists also were the most in an opener.
“I love how hard we played tonight and how we competed,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “We've got to keep putting it together every night.”
Malcolm Brogdon scored 20 points off the bench to lead the Blazers, who opened the season without Damian Lillard. They traded him to Milwaukee in September, ending an 11-year run in Portland that included seven All-Star selections and eight playoff appearances.
Portland's Anfernee Simons added 18 points and Deandre Ayton had 12 rebounds while in foul trouble most of the game. The Blazers had six players in double figures.
The Clippers controlled the game from the start and never trailed. They led by 30 in the second half. Seven of their first eight baskets were dunks, with five different players contributing. In all, they had 16 dunks.
“Russ starting the game was tremendous,” Lue said. “He really led the charge for us.”
Los Angeles pulled away to a 20-point lead with a 20-7 run in the second quarter. George scored 10 points and four players hit 3-pointers during the spurt.
Turnovers were a problem, though. The Clippers committed 17, with four each by Leonard and George.
Terance Mann, who had been named the Clippers' fifth starter, sat out with a sprained ankle. Robert Covington replaced him and had five points.
Portland guard Scoot Henderson started in his NBA debut and had 11 points in 36 minutes.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Host Orlando on Friday in their home opener.
Clippers: Visit Utah on Friday in a one-game trip.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Deandre Ayton vs. Ivica Zubac (Matisse Thybulle gains possession) | ||
| 11:57 |  | Matisse Thybulle turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 11:46 | | Robert Covington misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:43 | | Deandre Ayton defensive rebound | ||
| 11:38 | | Kawhi Leonard blocks Scoot Henderson's two point running layup | ||
| 11:35 | | Robert Covington defensive rebound | ||
| 11:32 | | Paul George turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 11:17 | | Matisse Thybulle misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:13 | | Ivica Zubac defensive rebound | ||
| 10:56 | | +2 | Kawhi Leonard makes two point cutting dunk (Paul George assists) | 0-2 |
| 10:43 | | Kawhi Leonard personal foul (Jerami Grant draws the foul) | ||
| 10:34 | | Scoot Henderson misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 10:31 | | Kawhi Leonard defensive rebound | ||
| 10:26 | | Robert Covington misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 10:26 | | Clippers offensive rebound | ||
| 10:26 | | Deandre Ayton personal foul (Loose ball) (Ivica Zubac draws the foul) | ||
| 10:17 | | +2 | Russell Westbrook makes two point cutting dunk (Kawhi Leonard assists) | 0-4 |
| 10:00 | | Matisse Thybulle turnover (lost ball) (Paul George steals) | ||
| 9:49 | | Ivica Zubac misses two point hook shot | ||
| 9:47 | | Deandre Ayton defensive rebound | ||
| 9:39 | | +2 | Anfernee Simons makes two point pullup jump shot | 2-4 |
| 9:36 | | Scoot Henderson personal foul (Russell Westbrook draws the foul) | ||
| 9:18 | | Paul George turnover (bad pass) (Deandre Ayton steals) | ||
| 9:13 | | Ivica Zubac blocks Scoot Henderson's two point running dunk | ||
| 9:13 | | Trail Blazers offensive rebound | ||
| 9:06 | | +2 | Jerami Grant makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 4-4 |
| 8:54 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point cutting dunk (Russell Westbrook assists) | 4-6 |
| 8:40 | | Scoot Henderson turnover (traveling) | ||
| 8:30 | | Deandre Ayton kicked ball violation | ||
| 8:22 | | Kawhi Leonard misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 8:21 | | Kawhi Leonard offensive rebound | ||
| 8:21 | | Jerami Grant blocks Kawhi Leonard's two point tip layup | ||
| 8:21 | | Trail Blazers defensive rebound | ||
| 8:12 | | Deandre Ayton offensive foul (Charge) (Kawhi Leonard draws the foul) | ||
| 8:12 | | Deandre Ayton turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 8:00 | | +3 | Kawhi Leonard makes three point jump shot (Russell Westbrook assists) | 4-9 |
| 7:47 | | Ivica Zubac blocks Robert Williams III's two point cutting dunk | ||
| 7:41 | | Ivica Zubac defensive rebound | ||
| 7:41 | | Ivica Zubac offensive foul (Charge) (Anfernee Simons draws the foul) | ||
| 7:41 | | Ivica Zubac turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 7:30 | | Jerami Grant misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:27 | | Paul George defensive rebound | ||
| 7:17 | | +2 | Ivica Zubac makes two point dunk (Russell Westbrook assists) | 4-11 |
| 7:05 | | Scoot Henderson turnover (bad pass) (Robert Covington steals) | ||
| 7:02 | | +2 | Russell Westbrook makes two point running alley-oop dunk (Paul George assists) | 4-13 |
| 7:02 | | Trail Blazers 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:42 | | +2 | Jerami Grant makes two point pullup jump shot (Shaedon Sharpe assists) | 6-13 |
| 6:18 | | Kawhi Leonard misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:16 | | Shaedon Sharpe defensive rebound | ||
| 6:10 | | Scoot Henderson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:07 | | Kawhi Leonard defensive rebound | ||
| 6:04 | | +2 | Robert Covington makes two point running dunk (Kawhi Leonard assists) | 6-15 |
| 5:43 | | Shaedon Sharpe misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:39 | | Scoot Henderson offensive rebound | ||
| 5:37 | | Matisse Thybulle misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:34 | | Kawhi Leonard defensive rebound | ||
| 5:27 | | +2 | Ivica Zubac makes two point dunk (Russell Westbrook assists) | 6-17 |
| 5:09 | | Russell Westbrook shooting foul (Jerami Grant draws the foul) | ||
| 5:09 | | +1 | Jerami Grant makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 7-17 |
| 5:09 | | +1 | Jerami Grant makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-17 |
| 4:52 | | Paul George misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:49 | | Ivica Zubac offensive rebound | ||
| 4:49 | | +2 | Ivica Zubac makes two point tip layup | 8-19 |
| 4:41 | | Robert Williams III offensive foul (Norman Powell draws the foul) | ||
| 4:41 | | Robert Williams III turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 4:21 | | Bones Hyland misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:19 | | Robert Williams III defensive rebound | ||
| 4:12 | | Malcolm Brogdon misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 4:07 | | Shaedon Sharpe offensive rebound | ||
| 4:07 | | +2 | Shaedon Sharpe makes two point tip dunk | 10-19 |
| 3:57 | | Paul George offensive foul (Toumani Camara draws the foul) | ||
| 3:57 | | Paul George turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 3:32 | | Toumani Camara misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 3:30 | | Mason Plumlee defensive rebound | ||
| 3:16 | | Toumani Camara shooting foul (Norman Powell draws the foul) | ||
| 3:16 | | +1 | Norman Powell makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-20 |
| 3:16 | | +1 | Norman Powell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-21 |
| 2:59 | | Shaedon Sharpe misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 2:56 | | Mason Plumlee defensive rebound | ||
| 2:48 | | Bones Hyland turnover (bad pass) (Robert Williams III steals) | ||
| 2:41 | | Jerami Grant misses two point running layup | ||
| 2:37 | | Shaedon Sharpe offensive rebound | ||
| 2:37 | | +2 | Shaedon Sharpe makes two point tip layup | 12-21 |
| 2:14 | | Bones Hyland misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:12 | | Mason Plumlee offensive rebound | ||
| 2:09 | | +3 | Norman Powell makes three point jump shot (Nicolas Batum assists) | 12-24 |
| 1:57 | | +2 | Malcolm Brogdon makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 14-24 |
| 1:37 | | Norman Powell misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 1:34 | | Shaedon Sharpe defensive rebound | ||
| 1:28 | | +2 | Shaedon Sharpe makes two point driving finger roll layup | 16-24 |
| 1:28 | | Bones Hyland shooting foul (Shaedon Sharpe draws the foul) | ||
| 1:28 | | Clippers 60 second timeout | ||
| 1:28 | | +1 | Shaedon Sharpe makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 17-24 |
| 1:14 | | Kenyon Martin Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:12 | | Anfernee Simons defensive rebound | ||
| 1:06 | | Anfernee Simons misses two point running layup | ||
| 1:04 | | Mason Plumlee defensive rebound | ||
| 1:01 | | Norman Powell misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 1:01 | | Mason Plumlee offensive rebound | ||
| 1:00 | | +2 | Mason Plumlee makes two point tip layup | 17-26 |
| 0:48 | | Malcolm Brogdon turnover (bad pass) (Nicolas Batum steals) | ||
| 0:45 | | Norman Powell turnover (out of bounds step) | ||
| 0:30 | | +3 | Malcolm Brogdon makes three point jump shot (Anfernee Simons assists) | 20-26 |
| 0:14 | | Shaedon Sharpe personal foul (Bones Hyland draws the foul) | ||
| 0:01 | | +3 | Bones Hyland makes three point stepback jump shot | 20-29 |
| 0:00 | | Shaedon Sharpe misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Trail Blazers offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | | Clippers delay of game violation | ||
| 11:37 | | Paul George misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 11:34 | | Malcolm Brogdon defensive rebound | ||
| 11:24 | | +2 | Deandre Ayton makes two point floating jump shot (Malcolm Brogdon assists) | 22-29 |
| 11:11 | | +3 | Russell Westbrook makes three point jump shot (Norman Powell assists) | 22-32 |
| 10:57 | | Malcolm Brogdon misses two point driving layup | ||
| 10:55 | | Norman Powell defensive rebound | ||
| 10:51 | | +2 | Russell Westbrook makes two point running dunk (Bones Hyland assists) | 22-34 |
| 10:34 | | +2 | Anfernee Simons makes two point stepback jump shot (Shaedon Sharpe assists) | 24-34 |
| 10:16 | | +2 | Bones Hyland makes two point cutting layup (Paul George assists) | 24-36 |
| 10:16 | | Deandre Ayton defensive goaltending violation | ||
| 10:07 | | +3 | Anfernee Simons makes three point jump shot (Malcolm Brogdon assists) | 27-36 |
| 9:49 | | Shaedon Sharpe personal foul (Bones Hyland draws the foul) | ||
| 9:41 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point driving floating jump shot (Russell Westbrook assists) | 27-38 |
| 9:24 | | +2 | Shaedon Sharpe makes two point pullup jump shot | 29-38 |
| 9:05 | | +2 | Mason Plumlee makes two point reverse layup (Bones Hyland assists) | 29-40 |
| 8:51 | | +2 | Robert Williams III makes two point alley-oop dunk (Anfernee Simons assists) | 31-40 |
| 8:36 | | Anfernee Simons personal foul (Norman Powell draws the foul) | ||
| 8:31 | | Russell Westbrook turnover (bad pass) (Deandre Ayton steals) | ||
| 8:28 | | Russell Westbrook shooting foul (Anfernee Simons draws the foul) | ||
| 8:28 | | +1 | Anfernee Simons makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-40 |
| 8:28 | | +1 | Anfernee Simons makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-40 |
| 8:13 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point driving layup (Mason Plumlee assists) | 33-42 |
| 8:02 | | Robert Williams III misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:00 | | Russell Westbrook defensive rebound | ||
| 7:50 | | +3 | Paul George makes three point jump shot (Bones Hyland assists) | 33-45 |
| 7:34 | | Malcolm Brogdon misses two point fadeaway bank jump shot | ||
| 7:30 | | Robert Williams III offensive rebound | ||
| 7:30 | | +2 | Robert Williams III makes two point tip layup | 35-45 |
| 7:23 | | +3 | Bones Hyland makes three point jump shot (Russell Westbrook assists) | 35-48 |
| 7:21 | | Trail Blazers 60 second timeout | ||
| 7:09 | | +3 | Anfernee Simons makes three point pullup jump shot | 38-48 |
| 6:51 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 38-50 |
| 6:33 | | Anfernee Simons misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:31 | | Anfernee Simons offensive rebound | ||
| 6:29 | | Scoot Henderson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:25 | | Mason Plumlee defensive rebound | ||
| 6:22 | | Deandre Ayton shooting foul (Mason Plumlee draws the foul) | ||
| 6:22 | | +1 | Mason Plumlee makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 38-51 |
| 6:22 | | Mason Plumlee misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 6:19 | | Deandre Ayton defensive rebound | ||
| 6:11 | | +2 | Anfernee Simons makes two point driving dunk | 40-51 |
| 5:57 | | Mason Plumlee misses two point hook shot | ||
| 5:52 | |