Though they had stumbled a bit of late, the Los Angeles Clippers have still been one of the 2018-19 season’s nicest success stories. The Clippers play hard every night, share the ball, work their butts off on defense, and are immensely enjoyable to watch. Plenty of Clips have gotten a lot of attention this year: Tobias Harris has gotten All-Star buzz; Montrezl Harrell has been a popular candidate mentioned both Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is routinely mentioned among the NBA’s best rookies.
One guy who’s flown under the radar a bit is Danilo Gallinari. That’s a shame, because Gallo is once again healthy and playing well, and he’s crucial to their success on both ends of the floor. Gallo’s averaging 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game with 45-45-92 shooting splits, making him one of the most efficient No. 2 scoring options in the NBA this season. He works well both on and off the ball, creates from the perimeter and in the post, and defends both forward slots capably.
The Clippers’ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday was a perfect encapsulation of everything Gallinari has brought to the team this year. He made plays on both ends of the floor, right from the start of the game and right to the very end. It was one of the year’s best two-way performances from any Clipper. In this edition of Last Night, In Basketball, we break down everything Gallo did to lead his team to the win.
Last Night, In Basketball is a video breakdown series from the basketball mind of Jared Dubin. You can see the videos for free on Twitter and YouTube, but if you enjoy the work and want to see more, you can pledge your support on Patreon.
