Clippers' Kawhi Leonard, James Harden not focused on standings watch

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The Los Angeles Clippers are currently in a heated race for a top-six seed in the the Western Conference. While guys like James Harden and Ivica Zubac admitted they’re paying attention to the standings, Kawhi Leonard says he watches games, but lets his teammates let him know what things look like.

The Clippers’ victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night improved their record to 44-32, getting them one step closer to their goal of a top-six seed.

Kawhi Leonard, James Harden focused on wins amid standings watch

The Clippers defeated the Pelicans on Wednesday night, 114-98. Kawhi Leonard finished with a team-high 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting with three rebounds and three assists. James Harden finished with a 21-point, 10-assist double-double, while Ivica Zubac added a 10-point, 10-rebound, six-assist performance.

At this point in the season, the nightly discussions are about the standings and every team trying to avoid the play-in tournament by getting a top-six seed. Harden admitted after the game that it’s certainly been at the top of players’ minds as the season winds down.

“I think everybody is, but I think we can control our own destiny,” James Harden said. “And we just want to be playing well no matter who we’re playing against. Obviously, it’s going to work out how it works out, but for us, it’s just playing well and controlling what we can control.”

The Clippers will close out their season with four home games before road matchups against the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.

Having won 12 of their last 15 games, however, the Clippers appear to be peaking at the right time.

“It’s big time, I think we’ve been playing the right way lately and we’ve been really locked in defensively,” Ivica Zubac added after the win. “Just the level of how everyone is locked in, how everyone is on a string, how everyone is playing together, covering each other on defense. It’s been a higher level than we used to play earlier this year. Everyone has the right mindset, everyone is focused on us getting wins and that’s it.”

The Clippers entered Thursday as the 7th seed in the Western Conference, with the same record as the seventh seeded Timberwolves and a half-game behind the Warriors (44-31). Right now, LA can finish anywhere from the three-seed to the eight-seed, with a top-six seed very much in play.

Over the last few weeks, Zubac and Harden have mentioned watching the standings, but Kawhi Leonard says he doesn’t need to.

“[My teammates] do enough for me,” Leonard said with a smirk. “I do watch games, but for me, winning is whoever you put in front of you. So whoever it is, you’ve got to beat them to get to the ultimate goal.

“So they let you know in the group chat,” Leonard was asked.

“Yeah for sure or when I walk in here, they'll tell me what went down or what happened.”

https://x.com/TomerAzarly/status/1907699530243756395

The Clippers are facing a back-to-back set this weekend against the Dallas Mavericks. Ben Simmons has already been ruled out for the first half of that back-to-back set on Friday, meaning he’ll play on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Kawhi Lenard is not on the injury report for Friday night, meaning he’ll likely sit out Saturday’s game in the second night of a back-to-back.

After this one, the Clippers have just one more back-to-back set remaining: next Tuesday and Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.

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