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The LA Clippers are now ahead of their in-town rival, the LA Lakers, in the Western Conference with a 15-5 record after defeating the Orlando Magic 116-90 on Friday night.
This was Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's first game back after missing their prior outings due to the health and safety protocols. However, the two did not miss a beat in their return. They combined for 50 points and went 18-for-34 from the floor.
The Eastern Conference outfit did not have the same success shooting the ball. They shot 36% from the field, dropping them to an 8-12 record, despite starting the year 4-0.
Terrence Ross was the leading scorer for the Orlando Magic with 24 points, followed by Nikola Vucevic, the only other player to score in double-digits, as he had 10 points on 31% shooting.
LA Clippers' Paul George and Kawhi Leonard dominate the Orlando Magic
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard came out aggressively from the gate. They combined for 35 points and displayed some spectacular highlights in the first half.
With the NBA All-Star voting now being open, they are both making strong cases for starting spots in the Western Conference lineup.
Here are some Twitter reactions to the duo's performance:
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are playing with higher energy this year under their new head coach, Ty Lue. The two of them both seem to be enjoying their roles in the offense.
LA Clippers were impressive on both sides of the ball
The LA Clippers were not only great on offense tonight against the Orlando Magic, but they also had one of their best defensive performances of the year. They held the Orlando Magic starters to just 39 points and forced 17 turnovers.
Here are some of Twitter reactions about the all-around performance shown by the LA Clippers:
.Everyone loves to see a smile out of Mr. Fun Guy himself.
Are the LA Clippers the new favorites to come out of the West after they dismantled the Orlando Magic and moved to the top of the Western Conference?
Here is what Twitter has to say on that thought:
The LA Clippers will likely not gain their respect until they can prove themselves after blowing a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets in last year's playoffs. Still, they have improved in both their offensive and defensive efficiencies this season, via basketball-reference.com.
