The Los Angeles Clippers delivered a resounding 126-67 victory against the Brooklyn Nets in a performance on Wednesday. Due to the absence of Ben Simmons for a lower back injury, the Nets were unable to keep up with the Clippers, who were led by standout performances from Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
The game began with a competitive first quarter. But the Nets quickly lost their momentum in the second, unable to contain the dominant play from Leonard and Harden.
Leonard, returning from an injury and fresh off dealing with the effects of the LA wildfires, silenced any doubts about his health with an exceptional performance. He finished the game with 23 points, two assists, and an efficient 8-for-11 shooting from the field.
AIN'T NO WAY 😳 pic.twitter.com/nbqLBACjxL
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 16, 2025
Harden complemented Leonard’s effort with a solid 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 11 assists performance. While the Clippers were firing on all cylinders, the Nets were clearly missing Simmons.
Following the blowout loss, NBA fans quickly took to social media to voice their opinions, while some mocked the Nets for the lopsided defeat without Simmons. Many fans speculated that the team might be intentionally tanking in hopes of securing a higher draft pick for next season.
ben simmons effect
— bellx (@bellx_crypto) January 16, 2025
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Ben Simmons was the next Lebron😭
— Wealth Warrior (@WealthWarri0r) January 16, 2025
Nets can’t find the net😭 pic.twitter.com/RjM9tTVPgM
— HarrietEve9 (@HarrietEve9) January 16, 2025
Nets not even trying, they finally have they own draft and wanna make sure they capture the Flagg pic.twitter.com/DazgHmoK9i
— Nando 🍀 (@nando17celtics) January 16, 2025
the tank for flagg is real
— JoakimNoahsark (@JoakimMuse) January 16, 2025
NBA need to investigate this typa tanking
— Satyam (@iSatyam100) January 16, 2025
James Harden Praises Kawhi Leonard After Blowout Win
After the Los Angeles Clippers’ dominant 59-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets, James Harden took a moment to praise Kawhi Leonard for his stellar performance. Harden touched on how important it is for Leonard to continue playing at a high level.
“He needs to do that all the time. It’s difficult because he’s just now getting back, so he wants to build the confidence up. But the only way to build the confidence up is going out there and doing it at a high level. Tonight was a great sign for him and the rest of our team,” Harden said.
With the win, the Clippers improved to 22-17 on the season. Leonard’s performance has been a significant step in his recovery. The Clippers are hopeful that he will continue to play at this level moving forward.
