SEATTLE, WA – Monday night marked the return of superstar Kawhi Leonard to the LA Clippers lineup in over 15 months. It also, however, marked the return of newly-signed point guard John Wall.
Wall played 14 minutes in his Clippers preseason debut vs. the Portland Trail Blazers, finishing with five points, one rebound, and three assists on 1-of-4 shooting in the 102-97 win.
“I just thought he let the game come to him,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of John Wall’s first game with the Clippers. “I thought he did a good job of just running our sets, what we were looking to run, and just getting guys involved. With a point guard like that who can score the basketball, but also can get guys in their spots and be able to run our sets is great.”
Wall repeatedly got to the basket at will, but missed a couple of bunnies at the basket. His lone make was a pull-up three-pointer at the tail-end of a fast-break opportunity in the third quarter.
John Wall’s first Clippers bucket 🔥
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 4, 2022
The seven-time All-Star also repeatedly showcased something the Clippers severely lacked last season: a drive-and-kick threat to set up knockdown three-point shooting teammates. The usual burst and speed that fans have grown accustomed to seeing wasn’t 100 percent there, but Wall said that was by design.
“I could’ve showed it off in the half-court, but I was just trying to run the sets, get used to being in the moment with certain guys,” John Wall said after his debut. “Just trying to push the pace, keep the pace up as much as possible and just having fun. It’ll all come to me, it’s all easy. I know I still got the stuff I need, but now I think for us, it’s just trying to figure out different lineups and just get used to playing with different guys. For me as a point guard, it’s not my job to come out and shoot the most shots. My job is to try to find guys and get my scorers rolling.”
Reggie Jackson started at point guard, and Wall came off the bench for only the _____ time in his career. The two will swap places on Sunday, Oct. 9th, when Wall will start against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite participating in just three practices, two shootarounds, and one game, Tyronn Lue already likes what he sees from his new playmaker.
“He knows all the plays, one through five, and that’s what a true point guard does and he can get everyone in their right spots and get guys shots. Like I said, he didn’t try to force the issue tonight. I thought he did a great job of just trying to run our offense and then getting guys involved.”
Back in July, John Wall said he wanted to join this team particularly to take the on-ball and playmaking pressure off Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and assist them throughout the season. In addition that, he won’t have to be the Batman night-in and night-out.
John Wall checks in and immediately hits Paul George for a bucket pic.twitter.com/f4R7VVGICr
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) October 4, 2022
There are a number of guys on this team capable of putting up high scoring numbers. That was on full display last season, as the Clippers had 12 players score over 25 points in a game last season, including the career-high 43-point explosion by Robert Covington and the 35-point performance by Amir Coffey.
With this team, Wall can focus on getting his guys involved while learning to pick and choose his spots
“For me, I just wasn’t trying to force anything,” Wall said. “Just let the game come to me with a flow, just trying to find guys. Like my first time really being with that group out there. Being at practices, being with different guys in the second unit, so just trying to feel the need of the game playing against a different team other than ourselves every day and just trying to find where guys want the ball at and just getting to my spots.”
As far as health is concerned, Wall reiterated once again Monday that he is 100 percent healthy and doesn’t need any kind of ramp-up period in order to take on the workload that will be asked of him on a night-to-night basis.
Not for me. When I step between those four lines, I just go at them. That’s the problem with me sometimes. Everybody thought I was injured last year. I was healthy, I just didn’t play because both sides agreed to an agreement on what they wanted to do.
“But they gotta tell me sometimes in practice, ‘slow down,’ but I just got one motto — If I’m out there, I’m playing. I like to compete, I like to go at it. I like to guard the best player. You see me, sometimes I’ll be guarding Kawhi and PG when we split teams up. That’s just my nature as a competitor. I’m always to go out there and fight.”
Opening night for the LA Clippers will mark John Wall’s first game back since April 21, 2021, when he scored 28 points and dished out 13 assists against the Clippers as a member of the Houston Rockets.
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