At the buzzer, Kawhi Leonard cuts the Pelicans’ wings

Still looking for their first win, the Pelicans went to Los Angeles to challenge Clippers. Thanks to good 3-point skills, the visitors set the tone from the start, but the home team did not give up and we had to wait for the second quarter to see the Californians take the lead after 2+1. John Collins (34-31).

Los Angeles then followed with a 3-pointer James Harden (24 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists) who, in addition, is the victim of a flagrant foulIves Missywhich allows the Clippers to gain an extra possession.

That’s how a leader finds Kawhi Leonard (34 points on 11/16 shooting, 5 assists and 6 steals) in the racket to remain in the lead (49-46). To end the first half well, Derrick Jones Jr. manages to touch the buzzer to give his team an eight-point advantage going into the locker room (67-59).

DERRICK JONES JR. AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF pic.tvitter.com/ihtbuGMLKSk

— Thibault Mairesse (@MNThibault_) November 1, 2025

A gap that reaches ten units after recovery thanks to Bradley Beal (9 points, 2 assists) then to quell the Pelicans’ surge, Kawhi Leonard caught fire from long range with two quick-fire hits. These two baskets are part of a 13-0 run for the Clippers, who then take a sixteen-point lead (87-71). Still, the Pelicans came back to score thanks to a 9-0 run, but Jordan Poole (30 points, 9/15 shooting, 7/13 from distance) loses two balls in less than ten seconds and the Clippers maintain a comfortable distance entering the final act (94-84).

Pelikan’s resilience was not rewarded

From the beginning of the 4th quarter, Jordan Poole made up for it with 2+1 and a 3-pointer to bring his team back within two points (96-94). The Pelicans continued to hold the Clippers until the final minutes. If Los Angeles leads by nine points, New Orleans ties thanks to Jeremiah Fears. Tyrone Lue’s team then re-creates an eight-point deficit with 90 seconds left, but the Pelicans come back again with ten seconds left in the game (124-124).

With no timeouts, Derrick Jones Jr. brings the ball and passes it to Kawhi Leonard. Clippers wing fakes a leaping Jeremiah Fears, then rises for a mid-range shot as the final buzzer sounds.

Los Angeles comes out of it, not without trepidation, with a score of 126 to 124 and wins its first match in this NBA Cup in 2025.

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WHAT TO REMEMBER

– The stars of Los Angeles are getting into the groove. This buzzer beater from Kawhi Leonard caps off an accomplished night for the Los Angeles stars. Despite the minutes being limited, Bradley Beal seemed to get into a rhythm during the third quarter where he made three baskets before being forced to the bench. Then, at the end of the match, James Harden first wanted to increase the gap in favor of Los Angeles, but the hero of this last period was aptly named Kawhi Leonard. Before the save, he popped up with a 3-pointer that gave the Clippers a six-point lead four minutes into the game, but saw New Orleans come back to score once again. Because of that, it took a wing shot for the Clippers to win. In total, the Leonard-Harden duo finished the night with 58 points on 19/35 shooting.

– Jordan Poole gave everything from the bench. The hero of the evening could have been called Jordan Poole as he shone in the sixth man role. The Clippers defense never found a way to contain him and he was the main architect of his team’s comeback in the final act. He finished the night with 30 points on 9/15 shooting and 7/13 three-pointers. However, in the final seconds, he missed a 3-point shot that could have given his team the victory.

– An encouraging performance for the Pelicans despite the loss. Ultimately, the Pelicans’ first win won’t come this Friday, but New Orleans has shown encouraging signs. In addition to Jordan Poole’s great performance off the bench, the entire Pelicans team shined, starting with Zaon Williamson, who scored 29 points on September 17. behind him Trey Murphy was proficient with 17 points on 5/10 from distance, while struggling with his shooting since the beginning of the season (4/13 from distance before this meeting). However, with a 0-5 record to start the season, the Pelicans are still on track for the worst start in their history, going 0-8 during the 2016-17 campaign.

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