LA’s “big three” comes up again
Until Paul George returns (which should be happening relatively soon), the LA Clippers’ big three tentatively features Kawhi Leonard, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell — each of whom stood out in LA’s big win over the Utah Jazz.
We’ve already touched on the night Leonard had. Despite a poor shooting performance in the first half, the two-way star was magnificent on both ends of the floor and turned in another “that’s why you make the trade” kind of night.
After Leonard, Williams and Harrell are the Clippers’ best players, and the two had vintage performances against Utah.
Williams, while inefficient (like the rest of the team), poured in 17 points and helped get the Clippers’ offense going as early as the first quarter. Williams was also one of only four Clippers players to score from three-point range tonight, and that should count for something.
Harrell was LA’s top scorer behind Leonard, coming up with 19 points and recording eight rebounds, two assists and a block in 29 minutes. Six of Harrell’s eight boards were offensive, and without those extra possessions, it’s very possible that the Clippers would have lost this game. You just can’t teach energy.
Together, the three are averaging a combined 68.9 points per game — over half of LA’s total offense.
Once George does make his return, one of the three (presumably Harrell) will be “bumped out” of the big three, though that doesn’t mean much beyond the title.
Yes, Williams and Harrell will each see a decrease in their minutes and points, but their roles will still mostly be the same. Williams won’t be asked to carry as much of the load when it comes to scoring, but he’ll still be LA’s primary scoring option off the bench. And as long as he’s paired with Harrell, he’ll be scoring with ease as well.
For now, though, let’s just focus on watching what these three can accomplish on their own. It’s been a lot of fun so far.