On January 14th, the Washington Wizards came into Inglewood and the Intuit Dome with a young roster still searching for consistency. The Clippers were leaning into veteran rhythm and execution, and over four quarters, that contrast showed up possession by possession before Los Angeles closed out a 119,105 win that never truly felt in danger.
Fresh off a trade where the Wizards acquired Trae Young, the team ultimately couldn’t find much offense. Young never saw the court and a bunch of players I was unfamiliar with tried to keep things close, ultimately losing by fourteen points.
First Quarter, Clippers Assert Control Over Wizards (37,22)
From the opening tip, the Clippers played with a rhythm that felt decisive. They sprinted to 37 points in the first quarter, forcing Washington into defensive rotations that often came a second too late. Kawhi Leonard set the tone early, attacking mismatches, using his strength and footwork to get to comfortable scoring spots, and finishing through contact. James Harden orchestrated the offense, probing gaps and making the right read before the defense could settle. Loose ball plays were consistently tipped in the Clippers’ favor, and that early flow created a cushion that Washington would spend much of the night trying to chip away at.
Starter contributions were crucial as well. Yanic Konan Niederhauser came off the bench energizing the second unit, knocking down shots and attacking downhill, a sign that coach Joe Mazzulla trusts his young wings to keep pace. On the Wizards’ side, Kyshawn George was active on both ends, drawing fouls and finding points early, but Washington’s defense struggled to contain Leonard and the Clippers’ spacing, leaving gaps that were consistently exploited. By the end of the first quarter, 37,22 told a clear story — the Clippers weren’t just playing their brand of basketball, they were installing it.
Second Quarter, Clippers Build Lead (33,29)
The second quarter felt like a continuation of the Clippers’ early punch. Los Angeles continued pushing the pace, finding rhythm through Harden’s ball movement and forcing the Wizards to scramble. Washington leaned on Khris Middleton and Marvin Bagley III here, trying to find inside touches and make the Clippers work in half court sets. Middleton attacked in bursts, using his size and craft to get clean looks inside the arc, while Bagley’s physicality around the paint helped Washington stay in possessions rather than watching them evaporate.
But the Clippers’ balance was hard to slow. Harden mixed scoring with playmaking, often pulling defenders toward him before forcing rotations and dishing to open shooters. That balance kept Washington’s young defense guessing, and even when the Wizards found stops, Los Angeles stayed efficient offensively. Leonard and Harden both hit timely buckets, and as the half wound down, it was clear that the Clippers’ lead wasn’t a fluke — it was constructed piece by piece. When the horn sounded for halftime, the scoreboard read 70,51 in favor of Los Angeles, a margin that reflected both production and poise.
Third Quarter, Wizards Rally (38,26)
If the first half was about control, the third quarter was about response. Washington came out of the locker room with urgency, quickly finding better paint touches, moving without the ball, and converting opportunities in transition. George stayed aggressive, scoring a team-high 23 points on the night, while Middleton continued to make his presence felt inside the arc. The Wizards pieced together a 30,13 run early in the half, bringing the score within reach and rattling the crowd in Inglewood.
This stretch was one of the rare times in the game Washington dictated flow. They attacked closeouts, crashed the glass with purpose, and forced Los Angeles into a couple of offensive possessions that didn’t go their way. Clippers turnovers popped up in moments where the Wizards pressured passing lanes, and the usually steady LA transition defense looked a beat slow. Every time Washington made noise, though, intelligent execution from Los Angeles stalled the surge before it became a run that mattered in the win probability graph.
By the end of the third quarter, the Clippers’ cushion had shrunk, but they still held an advantage, 96,89. The tone had shifted from dominance to contest, and the final frame promised to be a grind rather than a coronation.
Fourth Quarter, Clippers Recontrol the Game (23,16)
The final quarter was about closing with experience and smarts. The Clippers tightened defensive rotations, cutting off driving lanes and making the Wizards work for every bucket. Leonard led the charge, finishing with 33 points, repeatedly attacking mismatches and hitting open shots when Washington overcommitted. Harden added 22 points and eight assists, a performance that lifted teammates and maintained offensive clarity when the game threatened to get choppy.
Role players also mattered. Jordan Miller finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, anchoring possession after possession and cleaning up loose balls the Clippers needed late. Niederhauser continued to be a catalyst off the bench, giving Los Angeles energy when bodies tired and ensuring Washington couldn’t sniff sustained momentum. On the other side, Washington’s Marvin Bagley III had 15 points and 11 rebounds, showing effort and floor presence, but every Team Run by the Wizards was answered by a Clippers sequence, a defensive stop followed by a composed offensive possession.
Between crowd energy, veteran savvy, and simple discipline, Los Angeles dictated how the final minutes played out. When the clock wound down, the Clippers had secured the 119,105 win, extending their winning streak to four games and reinforcing that when their core is clicking, they are more than just a headline act — they are a system functioning with purpose.
When the buzzer sounded, the Clippers walked off with a 119,105 win that reflected where they were as a team.
Leonard’s 33 points set the offensive tone, Harden’s control of the game kept things organized, and the Clippers’ defensive focus in the fourth quarter closed the door.
Washington showed flashes, particularly in the third, but Los Angeles’ experience and execution proved decisive. This was another night where the Clippers didn’t just win, they controlled the flow from start to finish.
