Kawhi Leonard wasn’t the only player to stand out in the Los Angeles Clippers game against the Utah Jazz game Sunday night. Though the team struggled to find their rhythm in the first half of the game. Clippers center Montrezl Harrell came out hungry and dominated. He hit the glass hard with 19 points, eight rebounds, two assists and one block in 29 minutes earning himself Kia Performance of the Game.
LA Clippers Tough Win
The Clippers could not seem to find momentum in their matchup against the Jazz. It has been noted that it was the 6’8″ center’s energy that kept Los Angeles in the game. The Clippers entered the second half facing a 41-39 point disadvantage. Harrell came out aggressively and got six of his eight rebounds offensively.
The four-year veteran helped lead the way with his 19 points, trailing only Kawhi Leonard who scored 30 points. Lou Williams also contributed to the Clippers’ scoreboard and ended the night with 17 points. The three created a powerhouse that helped ultimately defeat the Jazz in a 105-94 finish.
“We got back in the game with second-chance points, crashing the glass and keeping the ball alive,” Harrell said. “I think a lot of our second-chance points really helped us in the game. We kept finding ways to get the ball and give ourselves an extra possession.”
The Clippers’ defense was also phenomenal, as they were able to keep the Jazz under 100 points. Thanks to the stellar defensive showing, the Jazz weren’t able to score 30 points in any single quarter. Though the Jazz also held the Clippers under 30 points in the first three quarters as well, LA unleashed the beast in the fourth and racked up 40 points.
Montrezl Harrell’s Performance
When Harrell was asked in a postgame interview how he translated his energy into offensive boards, Harrell answered, “just playing harder than everybody. That’s how I got here in this league by just playing harder and outworking everybody and leaving it all out on the floor.”
Harrell’s role on the Los Angeles Clippers is to come off the bench and be a reliable option to produce when his number is called. He’s an explosive member of the second unit who works hard to keep the team’s momentum going and picks up the slack when needed. He is averaging 19.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and two assists this season with the Clippers. He was also titled October’s Sub of the Month.
After last night’s win, the Clippers have accumulated four wins at home. They host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PST.
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Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell Earns High Praise for Recent Performance