Clippers hold off Lakers as Leonard extends streak
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points — his career-high 23rd consecutive game with at least 20 — and the Los Angeles Clippers survived a tense fourth quarter to defeat Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers 112–104 on Thursday night.
The Clippers have won seven of their last eight games and 14 of 17 overall as they continue their climb from the lower reaches of the Western Conference, News.Az reports, citing AP.
Leonard, who had missed time earlier when the team had nearly bottomed out in the standings, played through a left knee contusion and did not sit for long in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers cut the deficit late as LeBron James scored four points during a stretch in which Dončić hit a three-pointer to cap a 19–7 run, pulling Los Angeles within two.
James Harden answered Dončić’s three with one of his own as the Clippers responded with a 10–0 run to reassert control and take a 103–91 lead.
The Lakers rallied again. James knocked down a jumper and completed a three-point play as part of an 11–2 surge that cut the margin to three. But Ivica Zubac’s reverse dunk and a three-pointer from John Collins pushed the Clippers’ lead back to eight, and they sealed the win on Harden’s pair of free throws.
Dončić finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, while James added 23 points. The Lakers dropped to 5–6 over their last 11 games.
Harden posted 18 points and 10 assists, and Zubac contributed 18 points and 19 rebounds for the Clippers, who had seven players score in double figures.
Leonard, Harden and Zubac combined to score the Clippers’ first 15 points of the third quarter, stretching the lead to 26 — the largest margin of the game. The Lakers then outscored the Clippers 19–7 to close the period trailing 86–72. James opened that run with a three-pointer and capped it with a powerful dunk off a Harden turnover, while Dončić added nine points in the quarter.
The Clippers controlled the first half, outscoring the Lakers 17–7 — including a nine-point burst — over the final minutes to take a 64–47 halftime lead. Dončić scored just three of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter, when Leonard anchored the Clippers’ bench units against Dončić and James. Los Angeles shot 59% from the field in the half and held the Lakers to 42%.
The Lakers were again without Austin Reaves (calf strain), though coach JJ Redick said he expects Reaves to return soon.
Up next:
Lakers visit the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday to open a six-game road trip against Dončić’s former team.
Clippers host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
By Nijat Babayev
Similar news
