FILE PHOTO Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers looks on during the second half of a game against the Washington Wizards at Staples Center on February 23, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and the Los Angeles Clippers cruised to a 130-104 win over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
Paul George finished with 17 points for Los Angeles, which snapped a three-game losing streak in its return from the NBA All-Star break. Serge Ibaka added 16 points and 14 boards.
Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 15 points apiece for Golden State, which looked rusty following a weeklong layoff. Stephen Curry had 14 points on 6-for-16 shooting, including 1-for-8 from 3-point range, as the Warriors dropped their season-high fourth game in a row.
The Clippers carried a whopping 104-68 lead into the start of the fourth quarter. Los Angeles outscored Golden State 45-25 in the third quarter, fueled in part by 7-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc.
Los Angeles, which led by 16 at the break, blew the game open with a 13-3 run to start the second half. Ibaka’s dunk with 10:06 left in the third quarter increased the Clippers’ lead to 72-46.
The Warriors tried to recover as Draymond Green scored the next four points on a driving layup and a pair of free throws, but Los Angeles continued to attack. Leonard pushed the lead to 27 points when he converted a three-point play with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The Clippers surged to a 59-43 lead at the half.
Golden State led 25-22 in the final minute of the first quarter, but Los Angeles finished the first half with a 37-18 advantage. That included a 31-17 edge in the second quarter.
Lou Williams set the tone on the first possession of the second quarter with a floating jump shot off an assist from Reggie Jackson. Williams’ next basket less than four minutes later put the Clippers on top by double digits, 40-30, with 8:13 to go in the half.
Jackson drained a step-back 3-pointer with 3.7 seconds left to cap the Clippers’ strong first half.
About the only thing that went wrong for the Clippers was the early exit of veteran guard Patrick Beverley, who left in the first half because of knee soreness and did not return.
–Field Level Media