3 takeaways from the LA Clippers win versus Minnesota

2. LA Clippers Takeaway: The new guys look great

This isn’t a full takeaway from just one game but it rang true again last night versus the Timberwolves. The LA Clippers’ new additions of Luke Kennard, Serge Ibaka, and Nicolas Batum are all continuing to impress.

Last night was Kennard’s best game of the first four with him dropping 15 points. He did so in a starting role, replacing the absent Leonard. Kennard connected on three of his four attempts from deep and looked a lot more comfortable on the court after appearing hesitant in the first few games. Granted, Kennard has not played NBA basketball since early 2020, so it makes sense that he was a little slow to start this season.

Batum continues to look like one of the biggest bargains of the summer. He looks rejuvenated and is doing all the little things. Nothing on his box score jumps out at you (7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and one steal) but if you have watched the Clips through their first four, you can see the impact he brings every night. Whenever Marcus Morris makes his debut, Batum will be an excellent bench piece and will give the Clips the ability to stagger their wings without a huge drop-off.

Obviously, the most impactful of the new guys, however, is Serge Ibaka. His 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and two blocks last night are just further evidence of that. In every sense of the word, Ibaka is a professional. He knows his role for this team and goes out and excels in that.

The front office was questioned when they brought in both Kennard and Batum but the combination of them plus Ibaka are looking like great additions to this roster.