LOS ANGELES — Darius Garland’s second outing with the Los Angeles Clippers looked a lot like his first, and the result was the same.
The two-time All-Star logged 12 points and eight assists in 24 minutes Wednesday night, helping the Clippers handle the Indiana Pacers 130-107 at Crypto.com Arena. The victory was Los Angeles’ third in a row and Garland’s first home appearance since last month’s blockbuster trade that sent James Harden to Cleveland.
Garland shot 5-for-10 from the floor and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc while continuing to come off the bench. He also scored 12 points in 23 minutes Monday during a 114-101 comeback win at Golden State.
Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers with 29 points against Indiana. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and Brook Lopez added 17. Pascal Siakam matched Leonard with 29 for Indiana, which has dropped seven straight games.
Leonard outlined his expectations for Garland after Monday’s debut, saying the guard’s “competitive nature” and ability to push the pace will be critical. Garland acknowledged some rust in that first appearance but said he was simply “trying to knock the cobwebs off.”
The Clippers led by double digits for most of the night Wednesday and were never seriously threatened, extending Indiana’s skid and further integrating their new playmaker into the rotation.
Source: Hoops Wire
