The Los Angeles Clippers acquired two All-Star players before the start of the 2019-2020 season. Six-time All-Star Paul George was traded to the Clippers last July, and two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year contract with them. For one reason or another, they have not yet played together until their 122-119 win against the Houston Rockets Friday night.

Winning against the Houston Rockets is not easy. Led by NBA superstars James Harden and Russell Westbrook, they are currently the 3rd ranked team in the Western Conference after losing to the Clippers. Both teams are tied with an 11-5 win-loss record.

According to USA Today, Clippers coach Doc Rivers is happy with the team. He claims that it's a group of guys who want to win as a team and play as a team. Nobody cares who is getting the score as long as it's the team that benefits.

Reigning Finals MVP Leonard hit the game-winner and finished the game with 24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. George, on the other hand, had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Ironically, the player of the game is a Clippers bench player, Lou Williams. He capped off with 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists. He also made two three-pointers in the final stretch of the game. Another Clippers player, Montrezl Harrell finished the game with a double-digit score at 18 and seven rebounds. All 10 Clippers who played the game scored at least three points.

It looks like Coach Doc Rivers was not just pulling our tails when he said he has a beautiful and selfless team. Though it is not rare to have every player on the team score during a game, it doesn't happen as often as it should either. The high number of assists of the top scoring players is also an indicator that the Clippers are playing like a team that trusts each other.

The Los Angeles Clippers have long lived under the shadow of the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers. This year is no exception, with the Lakers led by a healthy Lebron James. But seeing how the Clippers played against the Rockets, it would be exciting to see how they fare with their new lineup.

Paul George
Paul George