Kawhi Leonard scores 41 as Clippers storm past Rockets
Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 41 points and James Harden added 29 as the Los Angeles Clippers won consecutive games for the second time this season, beating the Houston Rockets 128-108 on Tuesday in Inglewood, Calif.
John Collins and Kobe Sanders scored 13 points apiece and Kris Dunn had 11 to help Los Angeles improve to 8-21. The Clippers shot 54.5% from the field and 54.1% (20 of 37) from 3-point range.
Kevin Durant scored 22 points, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson had 19 apiece and Jabari Smith Jr. added 16 for Houston, which has lost five of its past seven games. Sengun also contributed 11 rebounds and seven assists.
The Clippers have won two straight games for the first time since Oct. 24-26. Los Angeles snapped a five-game losing streak with a 103-88 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Los Angeles led Houston by 16 at the end of the third quarter and took a 112-94 advantage when Leonard made two free throws with 6:24 left in the contest.
With Durant and Sengun sitting for the entire fourth quarter, the Clippers moved ahead 121-98 on Leonard's trey with 4:24 left.
Houston shot 65.2% from the field in the opening quarter and led by nine before Harden drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 35-29 at the end of the period.
Los Angeles moved ahead 53-51 on Leonard's jumper with 4:03 left in the second quarter, and the Clippers held a 63-58 lead at intermission.
Leonard had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the first half. He ended the night shooting 16 of 23 from the field and 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
The Clippers controlled the third quarter and led 92-75 when Collins' 3-pointer capped an 11-0 run with 3:15 left in the period.
Los Angeles outscored the Rockets 35-24 in the third quarter and took a 98-82 lead into the final period.
The Clippers played without center Ivica Zubac, who sustained a Grade 2 left ankle sprain in the Saturday victory and will be out for at least three weeks.