The Golden State Warriors have a brief road trip to face the Los Angeles Clippers before embarking on a much needed eight-game home stand. The Clippers have been on a hot streak, winning six of their last seven games, powered largely by Kawhi Leonard’s exceptional play.
Over these seven games, Leonard has averaged 36.6 points per game.
On the other side, the Warriors are riding high with confidence, having won six of their last eight contests, with Stephen Curry averaging 28.6 points during that stretch.
The Warriors are finally hitting their stride, but tonight’s game presents a serious test, especially with Leonard and James Harden playing at a high level.
The Warriors must slow down Kawhi Leonard
For Golden State, containing Leonard will be the key to securing the win.
His scoring has been seemingly unstoppable, and since the Warriors lack the personnel to guard him one-on-one, they’ll need to rely on team defense.
Communication will be crucial—double-teaming Kawhi aggressively might open up shooting opportunities for the Clippers, who rank tenth in league-wide three-point shooting percentage. The Warriors must focus on quick help defense and smart rotations to make Leonard take shots from midrange, while staying tight on the perimeter.
Create a versatile attack not solely dependent on Curry
Offensively, pushing the pace will be essential against a physically stronger Clippers team.
If Golden State lets Los Angeles settle into their defensive sets and doesn’t take advantage in transition and fast-break situations, they risk becoming too dependent on Curry’s playmaking and off-ball movement.
Curry remains the driving force for the Warriors, but they need to step out of their comfort zone and ensure their offense isn’t solely reliant on him.
That’s where Jimmy Butler’s role becomes crucial. While he prefers to involve his teammates, if Butler can become more aggressive and take 15 to 20 shots a game, the Warriors will have a more versatile attack—not just a “Curry carry job” that has often bailed them out.
Golden State will pay if they play down to competition
On paper, this might seem like an easy win for the Warriors, especially since the Clippers got off to a slow start.
The Warriors have improved in limiting turnovers and grabbing rebounds, but the Clippers have been among the league’s best in recent games, ranking second in fewest turnovers per game over their last three matchups.
However, they are also the worst rebounding team in the league.
Ultimately, it could come down to who wants it more—motivation and desire might make all the difference in a closely contested game.
