Kawhi Leonard poured in a game-high 23 points in just 29 minutes to help the Los Angeles Clippers rally from a 17-point hole and defeat the Golden State Warriors 114-101 in San Francisco. The win also featured a strong supporting performance from the bench, with five Clippers players reaching double figures, and moves L.A. within 1½ games of Golden State in the race for the West’s eighth seed.
Making his Clippers debut off the bench, Darius Garland contributed 12 points, adding a spark to the rotation. Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 22 points, 20 of them coming before halftime as Golden State built a 44-27 advantage after the opening two periods.
An Al Horford layup gave Golden State a 16-point cushion just 56 seconds into the third quarter, yet the Clippers flipped the script and dominated the remainder of the contest. Leonard sparked the surge with eight points in the period, complemented by Garland’s five, as Los Angeles narrowed the gap and ultimately seized the lead late in the third. They closed the frame on a 35-21 run, cutting the deficit to 79-77 entering the fourth.
The intermission didn’t slow the visitors. LA used its depth to take the lead for good at 82-81 on a Garland jumper, then steadily pulled away while the shorthanded Warriors— playing with a reduced roster that included two G League call-ups—could not keep pace.
Leonard finished 9-for-14 from the floor, adding eight rebounds, four assists and two steals as the Clippers, playing the second night of a back-to-back, impressed with their depth. Kris Dunn supported with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting and a game-best seven assists. Lounging at the front of the box score, Leonard’s performance helped Los Angeles claim a 2-1 edge in the season series with one more head-to-head matchup remaining.
For the Warriors, Gui Santos pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, while Yanic Konan Niederhauser contributed 11 points off the bench, joining a quartet of reserves in double figures. Jordan Miller added 12, Bennedict Mathurin 17, and Nate Williams provided 18 off the bench. Golden State’s injury woes continued, as Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis, Gary Payton II and Will Richard were all sidelined.
— Field Level Media
