Clippers 114: Trail Blazers 107, Harden 20+13, Kawhi Kawhi 30+10, I saw 4 realities clearly in this battle

On October 27, 2025, the Clippers will face the Trail Blazers. This game is also full of highlights. Yang Hansen and Harden will have a direct meeting. In this game, the Clippers shooting guard Bill was absent due to injury, and Bogdanovic made his comeback. The Clippers sent the starting five of Zubac, Knicks, Harden, Bogdanovic, and Jones to face the Trail Blazers. Harden performed poorly in the first half, but rebounded in the second half. Kawhi Kawhi and Zubac performed reasonably well. Yang Hansen played generally for more than 4 minutes in the first quarter and had no chance to play in the second quarter. After the final four quarters, the Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers 114:107.

Let’s talk about the game first. The Clippers were very strong in the first quarter. Harden made a 3+1, and Kawhi was also accurate in the mid-range shot. They played a 6-0 wave and once led 12-6. Later, the Blazers let Yang Hansen play, and the young man scored 2 points on free throws. After Holiday made a three-pointer, the two sides were tied 14-14. After that, the Clippers made another effort, with an 11-2 spurt, leading 34-23 at the end of the first quarter.

I thought the Clippers would go smoothly, but in the second quarter the Trail Blazers changed their lineup to a smaller lineup and suddenly broke out. The Clippers started with 8-2 ​​and chased the score to 31-36. Just as the Clippers responded with a 6-1 to open up to 10 points, Avdija suddenly went crazy and scored 8 points in a row. Wesley also scored 4 points. The Trail Blazers directly hit a 14-0 lead to 46-42. The Blazers didn't stop after that, Klingen scored three points, Sharp scored 6 points in a row, and then hit 9-0, with the score difference reaching 11 points. The Clippers struggled for a while in the final quarter. Kawhi and Zubac made free throws, and Batum made a three-pointer. They played a 9-2 wave to catch up to 55-60. In the end, Kawhi's three-pointer at the buzzer timed out and the Trail Blazers led 60:55 at halftime.

At the end of the half for the Clippers, Kawhi and Zubac were carrying the team. Kawhi played 18 minutes and 24 seconds, scoring 13 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists on 5-of-13 shooting. He was still the core that can attack tough situations. Zubac had 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks, and he didn't miss out on protecting the frame or scoring inside. Harden's performance was average, scoring 8 points in the half, but he had 7 assists. Bogdanovic just returned and played 13 minutes without scoring a point, which was a bit embarrassing. Paul played more than 5 minutes without scoring. With the performance of the Clippers' role players, it's no wonder they were chased in the second quarter. The team made 11 turnovers and the offense stuttered. In other words, Batum and Lopez made some contributions on the defensive end. Batum had 3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block, and Lopez had 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 block.

Everyone on the Trail Blazers side was on full alert at halftime. Holiday and Avdija both scored 13 points. Holiday connected the team's offense with 5 assists, and Avdija also had 1 steal. Both offense and defense were online. The bench was really strong. Sharp scored 10 points, Wesley had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Thybulle had 3 points and 1 steal. The plus-minus value was +11. The efficiency of this bench lineup was so scary. Klingen had 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. Grant had 8 points, 1 rebound and 1 steal. The depth of the forward line is good. Our Chinese player Yang Hansen played 4 minutes and 20 seconds and scored 2 points and 1 rebound. Although the time was short, he still showed his face in the NBA. The Trail Blazers had 14 assists, 7 steals, and 6 turnovers in the half. The team's cooperation and turnover control were much better than the Clippers. Their reversal in the second quarter relied on this.

The biggest problem for the Clippers in the half was that the role players were too stretched and made too many mistakes. Harden is not in good shape either. If it continues to be like this in the second half, it will be too difficult for the Clippers to come back. They have to find a way to let the role players increase their offensive efficiency and reduce mistakes. Otherwise, if the Blazers rush off the bench again, the point difference will be completely widened.

The third quarter became the turning point of the game. The Clippers hit a 32-22 offensive climax in a single quarter, winning by 10 points to achieve a lead. In the fourth quarter, the Trail Blazers fought back with all their strength, losing only 2 points 25-27 in a single quarter, but the Clippers firmly controlled the situation and suppressed the opponent's counterattack momentum with key points and defense. After the final four quarters, the opponent was defeated 114-107.

The Clippers' core and role players have blossomed more in this game. Leonard scored 30 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, making 11 of 21 shots and 4 of 6 three-pointers. He was the core of the team's attack. Harden contributed 20 points, 6 rebounds and 13 assists, and connected the team with 6 of 12 shots. Zubac scored 21 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, and dominated the interior with 9 of 14 shots.

Collins had 16 points and 6 rebounds, and was very efficient on 7 of 8 shots; Dunn had 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist, and was solid on 4 of 6 shots; Paul had 6 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists, and 2 of 2 three-pointers; Lopez had 5 points and 3 rebounds, Batum had 3 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist, and Jones had 4 points and 2 rebounds. Although Bogdanovic scored zero points, the team's multi-point output ensured victory.

The Clippers defeated the Trail Blazers for 2 consecutive victories. These four facts are completely clear. First of all, Harden's organizational skills are still top-notch, especially in the second half, he became the "offensive engine" of the Clippers. In the third quarter, he single-handedly revitalized the team. Facing the Blazers' high-pressure defense, he accurately seized the opponent's empty holes inside and sent many wonderful passes. He contributed 6 assists in a single quarter and 13 assists in the game, which also confirmed his irreplaceable linking role.

Secondly, Kaka’s offensive stability is reassuring. He always maintained efficient output throughout the game, his mid-range jump shots were still accurate, he could score steadily at critical moments, and he could contribute stable firepower without relying on crazy shots. He was the Clippers' most reliable attacking point.

Third, Zubac is still the "Big Mac" inside the Clippers. He was very dominant in the penalty area. He could not only grab key rebounds to protect the basket, but also receive passes from Harden to complete dunks and layups. He scored 21 points and 8 rebounds in the game, completely suppressing the Trail Blazers' inside line and maintaining the advantage in the penalty area for the Clippers.

At the same time, the performance of the Clippers' new players this year is also very impressive. Collins has 16 points and 6 rebounds, Paul has 6 points and 2 assists, and Da Luo has 5 points and 3 rebounds. They all played a role in their respective roles and contributed to the team's victory.