ROAD FINALE
The clock is ticking on the 2023-24 regular season, and the Cavaliers are trying to find their mojo with the postseason looming less than two weeks away. On Sunday, they close out their road schedule with a matinee against the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.
On Saturday afternoon, the Cavaliers dropped a 116-97 decision to the Lakers, rallying back from a double-digit first half deficit and taking a brief lead in the third quarter before the Lakers used a 19-0 push to blow things open. Darius Garland led Cleveland with 26 points and Jarrett Allen notched his 39th double-double of the season, but the combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis – plus a game-high 28 points from D’Angelo Russell sent the Cavs to their third loss on the trip.
The Clippers are getting hot at the right time – coming into Sunday’s contest having won five of their last six, including a close win over the World Champs on Thursday followed by a 29-point blowout over the Jazz one night later. Eight Clippers scored in double-figures in that victory over Utah, with James Harden leading the way with a triple-double.
The Cavaliers have won four of the last five head-to-head meetings with the Clippers, including a 118-108 win in Cleveland back in late January. The Wine and Gold close out the campaign with three straight at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, welcoming the Grizzlies (Wednesday), Pacers (Friday) and Hornets (Sunday).
FACING FORWARD
With Kawhi Leonard sidelined over the last three games with left knee soreness, Paul George and James Harden have been carrying the torch for the Clippers.
George has had an outstanding year overall, logging 71 games after battling injuries and not playing in more than 54 in any of the previous four seasons. He’s L.A.’s second-leading scorer this season (22.7ppg) – his ninth straight season averaging more than 20.0 points.
The nine-time All-Star has had some big night against the Cavs over the years, but Cleveland held him in-check back in late-January – finishing with just 13 points on 3-of-11 shooting, missing all five three-pointers he attempted.
George will start out against Max Strus, but he’ll see a cross-mix of guys on Sunday – including Georges Niang, who had his hands full with LeBron James on Saturday, but still had an outstanding offensive effort.
Niang went 5-of-6 from the floor for 12 points, his 13th game since the All-Star Break tallying double-figure scoring. Over that 25-game span, the 8th-year man from Iowa State is averaging 10.5ppg on 49 percent shooting from the floor, 42 percent from beyond the arc.
POWER-POINT PRESENTATION
James Harden isn’t having his usual monster offensive season – averaging 16.7ppg, his second-lowest mark since his sophomore season with Oklahoma City and his 8.6apg average, while still the 4th-best mark in the league, is his lowest mark in the last four seasons.
Add it all up and the Beard has his squad atop the Pacific Division and poised for a long postseason run after being dealt to the Clippers in a three-team deal in early November.
Sunday will mark Harden’s 33rd career meeting against the Cavaliers. And although he’s had some major outbursts against Cleveland – featuring four 30-point outings, three 40-point efforts and a 55-point eruption back in 2019, the Cavs held him in-check back on January 29, finishing with 11 points and 10 assists in the loss.
His opposite on Sunday, Darius Garland, had his best offensive performance since mid-March, topping the 20-point mark for the first time in nine outings on Saturday against the Lakers, leading Cleveland with 26 points and five steals.
Garland missed the previous meeting with the Clippers this year, put he’s registered double-doubles in each of the last three head-to-head meetings.