The Clippers secured a crucial road victory against the Magic on Friday and currently hold the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings, despite recent struggles. However, Kawhi Leonard appears unfazed by their playoff positioning.
“I’m not focused on the playoffs at the moment,” Leonard informed reporters. “Our priority is executing the tasks at hand. There’s no room for excuses. We need to stay focused at home and secure a win.”
Nevertheless, the Clippers displayed signs of inconsistency after building an 11-point lead, allowing the Magic to make a late surge. Coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged the team’s lapses, emphasizing the importance of maintaining defensive intensity. Overall, he described the win as tough and gritty.
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry’s return to his hometown was successful as the Warriors earned a vital road victory against the Hornets, with Curry contributing 23 points.
“At this stage of my career, opportunities to return here are rare,” Curry remarked to reporters. “It was heartening to see familiar faces in the crowd, and of course, winning made it even better.”
Although the Warriors currently hold the 10th seed in the West with a record similar to last year’s, when they were sixth, it underscores the increased competitiveness of the conference.
Golden State has impressively held its last three opponents to fewer than 100 points, all achieved on the road against Miami, Orlando, and Charlotte.
Unfortunately, Klay Thompson was absent from Friday’s game due to knee tendinitis. There is optimism within the Warriors organization about reaching a new deal with Thompson in the upcoming offseason when he becomes a free agent.
In other news, reserve guard Malik Monk of the Kings suffered a sprained right MCL and is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks, potentially affecting his availability for a play-in game and/or the first-round playoff series.
