Game ID: 22300676
LA Clippers @ Washington Wizards
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET
Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
WAS 35 25 19 30 109LAC 37 29 40 19 125
LAC @ WAS ScoutingLAC @ WAS Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
WAS availability going into 1/24 · 2 days' restOUT Butler missed 7 since 1/08, out tonight
OUT Davis missed 3 since 1/18, out tonight
BACK Gafford back 1/21 after 2, 30 min since (114% of 26)
BACK Shamet back 1/15 after 2, 13 min since (80% of 16)
BACK Baldwin Jr. back 1/13 after 7, 13 min since (96% of 13)
NEW Bagley III 24 to 31 min over the last 3
WAS availability going into 1/25 · back-to-backOUT Butler missed 8 since 1/08, out tonight
OUT Davis missed 4 since 1/18, returns tonight: 1 min (7% of 12)
BACK Gafford back 1/21 after 2, 26 min since (97% of 26)
BACK Shamet back 1/15 after 2, 13 min since (79% of 16)
NEW Bagley III 24 to 30 min over the last 4
WAS availability going into 1/27 · 1 day's restOUT Butler missed 9 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Gafford back 1/21 after 2, 28 min since (104% of 26)
BACK Davis back 1/25 after 4, 1 min since (7% of 12)
WAS availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Butler missed 10 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Gafford back 1/21 after 2, 28 min since (104% of 26)
BACK Davis back 1/25 after 4, 1 min since (7% of 12)
WAS availability going into 1/31 · 1 day's restOUT Butler missed 11 since 1/08, out tonight
OUT Baldwin Jr. missed 2 since 1/27, returns tonight: 12 min (95% of 13)
OUT Davis missed 2 since 1/27, returns tonight: 12 min (98% of 12)
BACK Gafford back 1/21 after 2, 28 min since (104% of 26)
WAS availability going into 2/02 · 1 day's restOUT Butler missed 12 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Baldwin Jr. back 1/31 after 2, 12 min since (95% of 13)
BACK Davis back 1/25 after 4, 6 min since (52% of 12)
WAS availability going into 2/04 · 1 day's restOUT Butler missed 13 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Baldwin Jr. back 1/31 after 2, 12 min since (95% of 13)
BACK Davis back 1/25 after 4, 5 min since (40% of 12)
WAS availability going into 2/07 · 2 days' restOUT Bagley III missed 2 since 2/02, out tonight
OUT Butler missed 14 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Baldwin Jr. back 1/31 after 2, 10 min since (74% of 13)
BACK Davis back 1/31 after 2, 11 min since (86% of 12)
WAS availability going into 2/09 · 1 day's restOUT Bagley III missed 3 since 2/02, out tonight
OUT Butler missed 15 since 1/08, out tonight
BACK Baldwin Jr. back 1/31 after 2, 10 min since (74% of 13)
BACK Davis back 1/31 after 2, 11 min since (86% of 12)
LAC availability going into 1/23 · 1 day's restOUT Zubac missed 3 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 25 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 7 since 1/07, out tonight
OUT Boston missed 3 since 1/14, out tonight
BACK Plumlee back 1/14 after 2, 20 min since (138% of 14)
LAC availability going into 1/26 · 2 days' restOUT Zubac missed 4 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 26 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 8 since 1/07, returns tonight: 2 min (12% of 14)
OUT Boston missed 4 since 1/14, returns tonight: 2 min (16% of 10)
BACK Plumlee back 1/14 after 2, 20 min since (138% of 14)
LAC availability going into 1/27 · back-to-backOUT Zubac missed 5 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 27 since 11/29, out tonight
BACK Plumlee back 1/14 after 2, 21 min since (145% of 14)
BACK Hyland back 1/26 after 8, 2 min since (12% of 14)
BACK Boston back 1/26 after 4, 2 min since (16% of 10)
LAC availability going into 1/29 · 1 day's restOUT Zubac missed 6 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 28 since 11/29, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 1/26 after 8, 6 min since (43% of 14)
BACK Boston back 1/26 after 4, 6 min since (59% of 10)
NEW Plumlee 14 to 22 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 1/31 · 1 day's restOUT Zubac missed 7 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 29 since 11/29, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 1/26 after 8, 6 min since (43% of 14)
BACK Boston back 1/26 after 4, 4 min since (41% of 10)
NEW Plumlee 14 to 21 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 2/02 · 1 day's restOUT Zubac missed 8 since 1/14, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 30 since 11/29, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 1/26 after 8, 6 min since (42% of 14)
BACK Boston back 1/26 after 4, 10 min since (98% of 10)
NEW Plumlee 14 to 21 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 2/04 · 1 day's restOUT Zubac missed 9 since 1/14, returns tonight: 18 min (68% of 27)
OUT Tucker missed 31 since 11/29, out tonight
BACK Hyland back 1/26 after 8, 6 min since (42% of 14)
BACK Boston back 1/26 after 4, 8 min since (84% of 10)
NEW Plumlee 14 to 23 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 2/05 · back-to-backOUT Tucker missed 32 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 2 since 2/02, out tonight
BACK Zubac back 2/04 after 9, 18 min since (68% of 27)
NEW Plumlee 14 to 23 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 2/07 · 1 day's restOUT Tucker missed 33 since 11/29, out tonight
OUT Hyland missed 3 since 2/02, out tonight
OUT Boston missed 2 since 2/04, returns tonight: 4 min (35% of 10)
BACK Zubac back 2/04 after 9, 18 min since (68% of 27)
NEW Plumlee 14 to 23 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 114, shooting 48 percent and 32 from three, 23 free throws a game; Kuzma at 22 and Bagley III at 15 a game. One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 110, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 23 free throws a game; Leonard at 24 and Harden at 18 a game. Without Zubac (7 straight), Tucker (29 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, on the road, and the game turns on the turnovers, Washington giving it away 14 times a game to the Clippers' 11. Call it the Clippers 118, Washington 113.
1/24 vs MIN 107-118 — WAS notes
WAS lost 107-118. WAS shot 48% (37 of 77) to MIN's 42%, 10 of 24 from three. WAS turned it over 21 times to MIN's 7, and MIN turned those into 8 steals. Avdija led with 24 (7 of 12, 4 of 5 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Kuzma added 17, Bagley III 17. Q2 was theirs, 35-27, turning a 6-point deficit into a 2-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 91-72 against them. Avdija's -16 in 38 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/25 vs UTA 108-123 — WAS notes
WAS lost 108-123. WAS shot 49% (43 of 88) to UTA's 52%, 7 of 30 from three, and went to the line 20 times to UTA's 12 — 15 points from the stripe to their 10. The glass went 35-52 against them. Kuzma led with 26 (12 of 24, 1 of 8 from three); Poole added 18, Bagley III 14. Q4 was theirs, 30-25, the deficit cut from 20 to 15, but the other 3 periods went 98-78 against them. Kispert's -20 in 20 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/27 @ DET 118-104 — WAS notes
WAS won 118-104. WAS shot 45% (45 of 100) to DET's 44%, 11 of 34 from three, and got to the line 21 times to DET's 27. WAS turned it over 9 times to DET's 17. Kuzma led with 30 (13 of 27, 3 of 13 from three); Poole added 17, Gafford 15. The hinge was Q4, 31-19: a lead of 2 became 14. WAS trailed 61-63 at the half and won the second half 57-41. Poole was the night's best plus/minus at +25.
1/29 @ SAS 118-113 — WAS notes
WAS won 118-113. WAS shot 53% (46 of 86) to SAS's 47%, 9 of 25 from three, and went to the line 24 times to SAS's 17 — 17 points from the stripe to their 15. Kuzma led with 18 (7 of 18, 0 of 4 from three); Gafford added 16, T. Jones 15. The hinge was Q4, 31-20: WAS came in trailing by 6 and left it ahead by 5. WAS trailed 54-58 at the half and won the second half 64-55. Coulibaly was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
1/31 vs LAC 109-125 — WAS notes
WAS lost 109-125. WAS shot 46% (45 of 97) to LAC's 47%, 9 of 29 from three, and got to the line 15 times to LAC's 22. WAS turned it over 13 times to LAC's 8, and LAC turned those into 9 steals. Kuzma led with 27 (11 of 22, 2 of 4 from three); Coulibaly added 19, Kispert 16. Q4 was theirs, 30-19, the deficit cut from 27 to 16, but the other 3 periods went 106-79 against them. Avdija's -33 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/02 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Kuzma at 24 and Avdija at 14 a game. One day's rest. Miami comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 119, shooting 44 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Butler III at 23 and Herro at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Jović (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Washington wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Washington giving it away 14 times a game to Miami's 10 and the arc, Miami at 38 percent from three to Washington's 32. Call it Washington 116, Miami 113, Miami keeping it close.
2/04 vs PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 115, shooting 47 percent and 29 from three, 20 free throws a game; Kuzma at 23 and Poole at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest. Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 120, shooting 55 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Booker at 35 and Durant at 25 a game. One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Phoenix at 40 percent from three to Washington's 29 and the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-0 a night and Washington minus-5. Call it Phoenix 118, Washington 116, Washington keeping it close.
2/07 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Washington comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 118, shooting 47 percent and 29 from three, 20 free throws a game; Kuzma at 22 and Kispert at 15 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Bagley III (2 straight). 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 108, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Mitchell at 32 and Allen at 19 a game. That is 5 straight wins. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Cleveland at 38 percent from three to Washington's 29 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 108 a night to Washington's 118. Call it Cleveland 119, Washington 112.
2/09 @ BOS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 37 from three, 16 free throws a game; Tatum at 27 and Porziņģis at 23 a game. One day's rest. Washington comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 120, shooting 47 percent and 31 from three, 17 free throws a game; Kuzma at 22 and Kispert at 18 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Bagley III (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the arc, Boston at 37 percent from three to Washington's 31 and the defense, Boston allowing 112 a night to Washington's 120. Call it Boston 123, Washington 110, Boston by 13.
1/23 vs LAL 127-116 — LAC notes
LAC won 127-116. LAC shot 59% (52 of 88) to LAL's 49%, 14 of 27 from three, and got to the line 12 times to LAL's 22. Leonard led with 25 (11 of 16); Harden added 23, George 17. The hinge was Q2, 42-35: a lead of 6 became 13, and the lead reached 16. Leonard was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
1/26 @ TOR 127-107 — LAC notes
LAC won 127-107. LAC shot 51% (48 of 95) to TOR's 46%, 9 of 32 from three. Harden led with 22 (8 of 14, 2 of 7 from three); George added 21, Westbrook 20. The hinge was Q1, 29-20: from level to 9 ahead, and the lead reached 21. Harden was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
1/27 @ BOS 115-96 — LAC notes
LAC won 115-96. LAC shot 44% (45 of 102) to BOS's 36%, 10 of 40 from three. Leonard led with 26 (10 of 15, 3 of 5 from three); Theis added 18, George 17. The hinge was Q3, 36-21: a lead of 16 became 31, and the lead reached 36. Harden was the night's best plus/minus at +36.
1/29 @ CLE 108-118 — LAC notes
LAC lost 108-118. LAC shot 48% (38 of 80) to CLE's 49%, 11 of 34 from three. Leonard led with 30 (13 of 25, 2 of 7 from three); Powell added 18, Coffey 13. Q2 was theirs, 27-28, but the other 3 periods went 90-81 against them. Plumlee's -11 in 22 minutes was the worst on the floor.
1/31 @ WAS 125-109 — LAC notes
LAC won 125-109. LAC shot 47% (47 of 100) to WAS's 46%, 12 of 30 from three, and went to the line 22 times to WAS's 15 — 19 points from the stripe to their 10. LAC turned it over 8 times to WAS's 13. Leonard led with 31 (14 of 25, 1 of 4 from three); Harden added 25, Coffey 17. The hinge was Q3, 40-19: a lead of 6 became 27. Leonard was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
2/02 @ DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 116, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Bogdanović at 23 and Ivey at 14 a game. Without Wiseman (5 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 109, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Leonard at 26 and Harden at 18 a game. Without Zubac (8 straight), Tucker (30 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Detroit at 39 percent from three to the Clippers' 34 and the defense, the Clippers allowing 109 a night to Detroit's 116. Call it the Clippers 118, Detroit 113.
2/04 @ MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 119, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Butler III at 25 and Herro at 17 a game. Without Robinson (2 straight), Jović (3 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 111, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Leonard at 27 and George at 17 a game. Without Zubac (9 straight), Tucker (31 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, the Clippers allowing 111 a night to Miami's 119. Call it the Clippers 117, Miami 112.
2/05 @ ATL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Atlanta comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 135 a night and allowing 130, shooting 50 percent and 37 from three, 26 free throws a game; Young at 31 and Murray at 22 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Krejčí (21 straight), Fernando (7 straight). One day's rest. The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 37 from three, 22 free throws a game; Leonard at 29 and George at 16 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Tucker (32 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Atlanta wins, and the game turns on the defense, the Clippers allowing 109 a night to Atlanta's 130. Call it Atlanta 121, the Clippers 120, the Clippers keeping it close.
2/07 vs NOP — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 118, shooting 51 percent and 44 from three, 24 free throws a game; Leonard at 31 and Harden at 18 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Tucker (33 straight). One day's rest. New Orleans comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 114, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 21 free throws a game; Ingram at 28 and Williamson at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 4 a night. One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 44 percent from three to New Orleans's 34 and the glass, where New Orleans has been plus-4 a night and the Clippers minus-1. Call it the Clippers 119, New Orleans 115, New Orleans keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
WASAG A. Gill
BC B. Coulibaly
CK C. Kispert
DA D. Avdija
DG D. Gafford
DW D. Wright
JB J. Bernard
JD J. Davis
KK K. Kuzma
MB M. Bagley III
PB P. Baldwin Jr.
TJ T. Jones
LACAC A. Coffey
BB B. Boston
BH B. Hyland
BJ Boston Jr.
DT D. Theis
JH J. Harden
KB K. Brown
KL K. Leonard
MP M. Plumlee
NP N. Powell
RW R. Westbrook
TM T. Mann
WAS/LAC the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Leonard, Harden help Clippers pull away from Wizards, 125-109
WASHINGTON -- — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, James Harden added 25 and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away with a big third quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 125-109 on Wednesday night .
Los Angeles outscored Washington 40-19 in the third after leading by 10 in the first half.
Harden’s pullup 3 from the top of the arc stretched the lead to 20 for the first time with 5:42 left in the period. Later, Leonard’s emphatic dunk off a driving, spinning feed from Russell Westbrook pushed it to 25, and Norman Powell’s basket made it 106-79 at the end of the third.
“It was huge, in that third quarter, just coming out with a defensive mindset,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “For our guys to lock in and give up 25 and 19 (points) in the second and third, I thought it was huge for us. It allowed us to get the lead and it was kind of over after that."
Leonard and Harden each had nine rebounds. And Harden hit five 3-pointers to help the Clippers snap out of a long-range shooting slump on a night they rested eight-time All-Star Paul George because of groin soreness.
Los Angeles was 12 of 30 from 3-point range after three straight games hitting under 33%. The Clippers were 12 of 25 before removing their starters.
“I would like if we get more 3s up,” Lue said. “Just how good of a shooting team that we are. Attacking the paint, making the right pass, getting open 3s. We turned down some tonight.”
Los Angeles is 3-1 so far on a seven-game trip, and finished January 12-3 on a day they began in fourth place in the Western Conference.
“We've got the right approach and the great mindset of every single game is similar to where, no matter the opponent, it's about us,” Harden said. “Because we can be really, really good. And the chemistry and the communication aspect is the most important thing.”
Kyle Kuzma scored 23 of his 27 points in the first half for Washington. The Wizards are 2-2 under interim coach Brian Keefe after Wes Unseld Jr. was fired last week.
“I loved our fight in the first half,” Keefe said. “Only down six at the half. They made a quick burst in that third quarter. ... That was the quarter that really got us.”
Rookie Bilal Coulibaly scored 19 points in his second career start and first since Oct. 30. He replaced shooting guard Jordan Poole (illness) in the lineup.