34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 steals + buzzer-beater! Kawhi saved Tyronn Lue, it’s time for Green to get out of class

On November 1, the NBA Cup begins, with the Los Angeles Clippers facing the New Orleans Pelicans at home. The Clippers had just lost to the Warriors before, and their performance of only 79 points and 10 assists was more shameful than the loss itself; the Pelicans were even worse, with four consecutive losses in the new season and a win was hard to come by. In this campaign, the two teams were at each other's throats in the first quarter, and no one could open up the score. In the second quarter, the Clippers suddenly went berserk, scoring 41 points in a single quarter and establishing a double-digit lead in one fell swoop. Changing sides and fighting again, the Clippers always held a 10-point lead, and the Pelicans did not even out the difference until the final quarter. In the final decisive battle, Zion and Kawhi scored wildly. Zion made 2 free throws to help the Pelicans even the score difference, and Kawhi completed the buzzer-beater. In the end, the Clippers narrowly defeated the Pelicans 126-124.

The Pelicans are full of injuries on the inside, and their defense is ineffective. Success or failure depends entirely on Zion's attack on the inside and Poole's touch! In this game, the Pelicans were penetrated by the Clippers inside and lost 12 points 44-56 inside. However, the Pelicans had help from outside the three-point line. The team scored 18 three-pointers with a 48.6% shooting rate. This was also the key to them getting back the game after falling behind by 17 points. At the end of the game, Zion scored 29 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Poole, who came off the bench, scored 30 points, 7 three-pointers, and Murphy also contributed 17 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 three-pointers. Even so, the Pelicans still can't escape defeat, because Harden and Kawhi are too strong, each performing their own duties, one is stable and the other is ruthless!

Harden worked hard for 39 minutes, making 8 of 19 shots (4 of 13 three-pointers), 4 of 5 free throws, and contributed 24 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists, and 2 steals. Harden is getting older and stronger. Even if his offensive deterrence is not as good as before, once the opponent relaxes his vigilance, he can still make the opponent pay with his explosive scoring power. Especially in the second quarter, Harden scored 14 points in a single quarter, which was the key to the Clippers' lead. More importantly, Harden is still the helmsman of this Clippers team. With him on the scene, the whole team will not panic! Harden is also willing to be a green leaf, making cakes for his teammates with a familiar rhythm, and killing people with a borrowed knife.

Xiaoka played 36 minutes, making 11 of 16 shots (5 of 8 three-pointers), 7 of 7 free throws, scoring 34 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals, with a plus-minus of +6. Especially in the final battle, Fat Tiger Zion pressed forward step by step, scoring 15 points and 5 rebounds, but forced out the strongest robot. Xiaoka dominated the offense and defense with 14 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal, and completed the buzzer-beater! According to statistics, this is the 10th time in his career that Kawhi has made a winning goal in the last quarter or in the last 5 seconds, and it is also the third time in his career that Kawhi has completed a buzzer-beater. This is the Xiaoka we are familiar with. At critical moments, he can always use the simplest, roughest and coldest way to decide the outcome.

After the game, Harden said frankly when talking about this victory in an interview: Kawhi's killer victory is that simple; Kawhi himself said: We once led by double digits and were tied. Maintaining the lead is what we need to improve! In a sense, Kawhi's buzzer-beater not only saved the Clippers, but also saved Tyronn Lue - from leading by 17 points to being tied by his opponent, Tyronn Lue's formation was still difficult to convince the crowd. The Clippers are the oldest team in the NBA and are known for their depth of lineup, but what is the result? Facing one of the worst teams in the league, Harden played 39 minutes, Kawhi played 36 minutes, and almost capsized in the gutter! Harden and Kawhi are not young, and playing like this is too tiring. It is time for Tyronn Lue to consider moving Collins to the starting 4th position to reduce Kawhi's burden.

I don’t know if Tyronn Lue will be dismissed early if he continues to play like this, but one thing is for sure, Pelicans coach Green should be dismissed! After this campaign, the Pelicans suffered a five-game losing streak and were tied for last in the league with the Pacers and Nets. You know, the Pelicans sent their 2026 first-round pick to the Wizards, and they don't have the capital to hit the No. 1 pick. According to NBA reporter Brett Siegel, many Pelicans players are dissatisfied with Green's lineup arrangement. The team is seriously considering dismissing Green. The relevant decision may be made after the team ends its three consecutive away games! Fans and friends, what do you think of this? Come and leave me a comment to discuss.