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Three takeaways from the LA Clippers’ Game 1 loss to Warriors

By Garrett Chorpenning

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 13: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors has words with Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during Game One of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. Both players were ejected later in the game. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 13: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors has words with Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during Game One of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. Both players were ejected later in the game. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors has words with Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during Game One of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. Both players were ejected later in the game. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors has words with Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers during Game One of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on April 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. Both players were ejected later in the game. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

The LA Clippers fell 121-104 to the Golden State Warriors in Game 1, but there were several positives that the Clippers can build upon going into Game 2.

As expected, the LA Clippers came out of their Game 1 matchup with the Golden State Warriors with a defeat — but the way it happened left several fans optimistic about the rest of the series.

For starters, Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams looked fantastic, and especially so when they played together. The duo went off to combine for 51 points (26 and 25 points, respectively) and became the first bench combination to each score at least 25 points in the playoffs in NBA history. Considering they did that in Game 1, it doesn’t seem out of the question to expect them to repeat that performance.

Rookie point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an impressive playoffs debut, scoring 18 points and logging five rebounds and three blocks. He didn’t have the best shooting night (6-16 overall), but he shot 50 percent from three-point range and managed to keep up with the Warriors all night long. That’s impressive by itself, and especially so for a 20-year-old kid.

Of course, there were negatives — some of which I’ll dive into later — that determined the outcome of the game. Starters not named Danilo Gallinari or Gilgeous-Alexander combined for just six points on 2-14 shooting, which is something you simply can’t have against a team that is so good at punishing you for making mistakes. And while Gallinari did score 15, he only made four of his 14 attempts, three of which came from three-point range.

Stephen Curry, all six feet and three inches of him, also grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds on Saturday night. The Warriors out-rebounded the Clippers 53-40 overall, and recorded four more offensive rebounds as well.

LA probably won’t win more than a game, but I would have to think they feel confident about their chances to at least do that following this performance.

For more in-depth takeaways from Game 1, continue on to the following slides.

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