Darius Garland made his LA Clippers debut after being traded and hadn’t played since mid-January due to toe issues. His first game saw him coming off the bench for the first time in nearly five years, with a minutes restriction.
Garland acknowledged some early struggles. “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting to get a blitz after a month off,” Garland said, mentioning Steve Kerr’s tactical approach.
Garland Finds His Rhythm in Second Half
After a scoreless first quarter, Garland, who was traded for James Harden on Feb. 4, found his rhythm. He said a pull-up 3-pointer, assisted by a Brook Lopez screen, marked a turning point.
“I was like ‘All right, I think I knocked the cobwebs off a little bit,’” he said.
The Clippers trailed by 14 points at halftime. However, they outscored the Warriors 72-45 in the second half, including a 40-14 advantage in paint points, securing a 114-101 victory. Garland contributed 12 points, two assists, and a steal in 23 minutes, despite five turnovers.
Lue’s Adjustment Unleashes Garland
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue noted the Warriors’ defensive tactics initially hampered Garland. Lue said that the Warriors’ shape-shifting defense prevented the Clippers from running the plays they wanted to use for Garland, who had only played in 26 games this season because of toe issues.
“In the second half, the adjustment was just single pick, middle of the floor, let him go either way, let him operate, and that’s what really turned him loose,” said Lue, who used Garland to enhance bench lineups that included fellow newcomer Bennedict Mathurin, rookie center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, and young wing Jordan Miller.
All-Star Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points. Kris Dunn, who started at point guard, had 16 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
Clippers’ New Lineups
The 26-year-old Garland did not play with Leonard in the first quarter. He also did not play with Dunn in the first half.
- Darius Garland made his Clippers debut after being traded for James Harden.
- Garland scored 12 points in 23 minutes, helping the Clippers overcome a halftime deficit.
- Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 23 points.
The Clippers outscored the Warriors by 5 points during Garland’s minutes on the court, despite his five turnovers.