The Los Angeles Clippers have been in search of any good news lately.
The start of the NBA preseason, including Sunday’s thrilling victory over the Golden State Warriors, and the impressive play of newcomer Rui Hachimura will no doubt help matters.
Hachimura scored 21 points and grabbed five rebounds in 15 minutes as the Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors 104-101 before 10,112 at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.
“I felt good. This is a new system for me, a new team, a lot of new faces, coaches and coaching staff,” Hachimura said. “This is our first game. Overall, we did what we wanted to do. Offensively, we did pretty good sharing the ball and making the right plays. Defensively, we played really good, especially against Golden State and Steph (Curry).”
For the second time in three years, the Clippers and Warriors played a game here that went down to the wire.
Graham Ike’s tip-in put Golden State ahead 101-100 with 27.5 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles rookie Keaton Wagler hit a jumper to put his team up by one with 14 seconds to go.
The Clippers’ Blake Wesley blocked Miles Kelly’s short runner with 3.9 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles’ Cam Christie was fouled with 2.5 seconds to go and hit two free throws to make it 104-101.
Ike missed a game-tying 35-foot shot as time expired.
“The atmosphere was great. Same as two years ago when we came here,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “Sold-out crowd, everybody was excited to see NBA basketball here. It’s fun to be able to play in front of a crowd like that with energy and the joy people were getting from watching the two teams plays.”
The game had a lot of momentum swings with Los Angeles taking a 60-47 lead with 8:24 to go in the third quarter and Golden State rallying to take an 88-82 advantage with 7:20 remaining.
Many fans came to see Golden State’s Curry splash 3-pointers, and he didn’t disappoint by nailing his first attempt and then hitting another midway through the second quarter.
“Amazing energy to play a preseason game, especially after a beautiful week out here,” Curry said. “Our second time doing it, so a lot of great vibes. We appreciate the welcome here and we’re all excited to get home and get into a routine.”
The NBA’s all-time leader with 4,248 made 3-pointers finished with 10 points, two rebounds and two assists in 13 minutes. Curry was 3-for-4 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
During the 2024 Warriors/Clippers matchup at the arena, Curry finished with nine points, but missed all four of his 3-point attempts in Golden State’s 91-90 victory.
It was technically a home game for the Clippers once again, but a majority of the fans were cheering for the Warriors.
Curry’s No. 30 jersey, primarily in blue with yellow trim, numbered in the hundreds Sunday.
“That’s what Steph Curry does,” Kerr said. “Everyone loves Steph all over the world so wherever we are we see his jerseys and people cheering for us.”
Hachimura noted: “It was supposed to be a home game (for the Clippers), but there were more Warriors fans.”
Early last month, the Clippers were found to have circumvented NBA salary-cap rules involving former player Kawhi Leonard, who is a seven-time all-star. The team was fined $30 million and stripped of five first-round draft picks by the NBA. Team owner Steve Ballmer and other front office members were suspended.
Leonard, who was fined $700,000, was traded to the Toronto Raptors two weeks ago.
“The vibes have been great. Our guys have done a great job of just working hard every single day and no complaining, no excuses,” Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said. “Today was a step in the right direction, but we have to get a lot better.”
The Clippers and Warriors played a typical new-era NBA game Sunday with plenty of high screening, driving and passing to the perimeter for 3-pointers.
Los Angeles finished 32-of-80 from the field and 11-of-36 from 3-point range. Golden State went 37-of-95 and 6-of-33.
“Our typical first preseason game,” Kerr said. “A little rust early. Not a great shooting rhythm. A lot of good stuff. We have stuff on tape to work with and things to improve on. Overall, a really good week in Hawaii and now we have to build on that.”
The Clippers’ Darius Garland scored 15 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range.
The Warriors’ Charles Bassey finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, and Brandon Williams and Ike each added 11.
Golden State started Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg and Brandin Podziemski.
Los Angeles opened with Garland, Hachimura, Isaiah Jackson, Derrick Jones Jr. and Max Strus.
None of the 10 players are taller than 6-foot-9.
Curry, to no surprise, received the loudest ovation during the player introductions.
Hachimura received a nice ovation as well. The 6-8 veteran forward was born in Toyama, Japan, and played collegiately at Gonzaga.
“It’s Hawaii. There’s a lot of Japanese people here,” he said.
Lendeborg, selected No. 11 overall out of Michigan by Golden State, was 1-of-6 from the field and finished with four points and nine rebounds.
“Yaxel looked good. We need him to be more aggressive,” Kerr said. “He can make plays and he can score.”
Wagler, selected No. 5 overall out of Illinois by Los Angeles, finished with 15 points, but went 3-of-15 from the field and 1-of-11 from 3-point range. He hit 8-of-9 free-throw attempts.
“I started a little bit sped up, jitters a little bit,” Wagler said. “Once I got settled in, it kind of slowed down, so for me it’s being able to have the ball in my hands, it’s being able to create plays like I do at practices and training camp.”
The Clippers’ Yuki Kawamura, a 5-7 guard from Yanai, Japan, received a huge ovation when he entered late in the third quarter. The crowd even started a ‘Yuki’ chant.
“I was happy for him,” Hachimura said of his Japanese countryman. “He looked a little bit nervous, but he did what he needed to do in the minute. He’ll have more chances just to find his role. I always tell him just be him and play his game and he’ll be fine.”
Hachimura, who spent the previous three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, finished 8-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.
“We’re going to need him to rebound, going to need him to be able to score, going to need him to block, we’re going to need everything,” Lue said. “Today what he showed was really good and we’re going to need that from him every night.”
Los Angeles and Golden State, after spending one week on Oahu for training camp, will head to the Mainland to continue their preseason schedules.
“We had a very impressive luau at our hotel, including some fire and spinning (the pig),” Curry said. “The travel dancers and all that type of stuff and having everybody’s family there.”
Lue, the Clippers coach, said: “The fans have been great. I thank Golden State and Steve and those guys for coming here with us. It’s always a great experience. The people and community are great. I love being here so hopefully we can do it again next year.”
