Clippers beat Pelicans 114-98 at home, Harden's double-double led the team to two consecutive wins

On April 4, the NBA regular season continued, and the Los Angeles Clippers played against the New Orleans Pelicans at home. In the absence of Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans had six players score in double figures, but they still lost to the Clippers with a full lineup 98-114. With Harden's 21 points and 10 assists and Leonard's 28 points, the Clippers won two consecutive games and made steady progress in the Western Conference rankings.

In this game, the Clippers' offensive rhythm was a little slow at the beginning, and they only led by 6 points in the first quarter. However, after entering the second quarter, the Clippers accelerated comprehensively, scoring 37 points in a single quarter, and gradually established a score advantage. Although the Pelicans also played well, scoring 31 points in the second quarter, at the end of the half, the Clippers still led by 11 points with 66-55.

In the second half, the defensive intensity of both teams increased significantly. The third quarter was fierce, but the Clippers continued to firmly control the rhythm of the game with a stronger lineup depth and key ball handling ability. In the final stage, the Pelicans still struggled to catch up, but the Clippers adjusted in time and finally locked the victory with excellent finishing ability, winning easily with 114-98.

Clippers player statistics

Leonard 28 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, Harden 21 points, 10 assists, 3 blocks, Zubac 17 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, Bogdanovic 16 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, Dunn 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, Powell 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, Derrick Jones 3 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, Batum 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals, Eubanks 2 points, Flowers 2 points, Simmons 1 rebound, 2 assists

Pelicans player statistics

Alvarado 17 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists, Bruce Brown 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, Olynyk 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, Reeves 11 points, 1 assist, Matkovic 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, Kane 10 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, Missy 6 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, Payton 6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Brooks 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, Earl 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

After this game, the Clippers' record continued to be solid, while the Pelicans faced a severe challenge of personnel shortage. Especially at the end of the regular season, how to deal with the absence of core players became the top priority of the Pelicans coaching staff.

Next, the Clippers will continue to strive for a higher ranking and strive to have more home-court advantages in the playoffs, while the Pelicans need to rely on the growth of young players and strive to be competitive with the current lineup.