thelesterlee
Game 82 is one of my favorite sports days of the year. All the teams play in the afternoon, around the same time. One-third of the league is battling for playoff seeding. One-third has one final opportunity to lose and increase their draft lottery odds. And one-third has their playoff seeding locked in so they’re resting their stars, leading to Bronny James minutes.
Bronny James : 4 points (2-10 shooting & 0-2 from 3), 6 assists & 4 steals in 38 minutes pic.twitter.com/RY7b4klPY7
— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) April 13, 2025
4 points in 38 minutes. Bronny is on his way to becoming the LeBron James of PJ Tuckers.
Anyway, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors had the biggest stakes on the day. Winner gets a week off from work and the loser has to slapbox the Memphis Grizzlies in a couple days—and if they lost that game, it’s a backyard brawl against Anthony Davis.
These two teams are breaking NBA records for the most iced knees. They both desperately needed a week off to just sit down somewhere.
James Harden Redemption Arc
Back before a global pandemic turned some of your friends and families into Ed Norton from American History X, James Harden was one of my favorite players in the NBA.
He’d score 42 points with 12 rebounds and 9 assists on a random, meaningless Tuesday night win in Orlando—including a highlight of him turning his defender’s pockets inside out. Then the playoffs would start and he moved around the court like he needed Pepto and a seat in the shower.
Heartbreaking playoff meltdown after heartbreaking playoff meltdown after heartbreaking playoff meltdown after that weird year in Philly and now James Harden has finally found the perfect cast of misfits to maximize his talents and hide his flaws.
At 35 years old, this is James Harden’s last chance to make the NBA Finals. The Clippers aren’t coming back next season a year older and somehow better. This is the year. James Harden may have grown up. It’s time to stop dribbling off your feet in the playoffs, king.
Kawhi vs. Jimmy
On February 7th, the arrival of Jimmy Butler flooded the deserts of Warriors Nation—replenishing The Bay with easy points from the free throw line, restoring championship hopes for a city that has been deprived a championship parade for almost three whole years.
Those poor fans have suffered for too long.
Jimmy Butler can be the best perimeter defender on the floor—getting his hands in to perfectly time a smack on the ball while a player is going up for their shot. He’s strong enough of a defender to prevent guys from getting comfortable.
And there wasn’t shit he could do about Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard vs Golden State:
• 33 points (13-20 FG / 4-8 3pt)
• 6 rebounds
• 7 assists
• 3 steals
• +17
• 47 minutes 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/heI9YQ5HbT— 🏆🥇 (@fsh733) April 14, 2025
Kawhi can limp around his mansion for 6 months, wake up one morning with no pain, drive to the Intuit Dome and score 30 points, all on pull-up middies. Granted magical basketball abilities, given to him after being bitten by a radioactive NBA Hall of Famer on a school field trip, Kawhi’s superpowers cannot be thwarted.
Los Angeles Clippers Are Winning The West
I have been Clipperpilled. Ivica Zubac is quietly one of the best big men in the world, running a beautiful two-man game with James Harden—a player who’s at his best when paired with a big man who sets concrete wall screens and has hands like Ken Griffey Jr’s glove in center.
Kawhi Leonard wrecks games. At any point in a game, Kawhi could deflect a pass, leading to a quick fastbreak layup for the Clippers. Then he’ll catch a player at midcourt, swatting his dribble against his own feet, turnover, ball goes to LA. Then Kawhi will back his defender into the mid-post, draw a double team, and kick it out to Norman Powell for an open 3.
I love Bogdan Bogdanovic coming off the bench for some quick scoring and Derrick Jones coming off the bench for some quick defense.
The only thing that can stop the Clippers is Kawhi’s legs deteriorating. Which I reckon is like 99% possible. Nevermind.
Key Stats
Kawhi Leonard: 33 points, 13-for-20 from the field, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals 47 MINUTES
James Harden: 30 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Ivica Zubac: 22 points, 11-for-16 from the field, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Steph Curry: 36 points, 7-for-12 from 3, 6 assists, 2 steals, 8 turnovers
Jimmy Butler: 30 points, 12-for-20 from the field, 9 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Brandin Podziemski: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
The Los Angeles Clippers get a much needed week off before heading to Denver where Russell Westbrook will hand them the series via odd technicals and blatant flagrant as he attempts to intimidate his former team while actually sabotaging his own. The Westbrook playoff special.
The Golden State Warriors have an upcoming rock fight with the Golden State Warriors
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