Kawhi Leonard scores 33 as Clippers defeat Kings for fifth straight win
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Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and the Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games Tuesday night with a 131-90 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome.
James Harden had 21 points while John Collins and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser each added 16 for the Clippers, who have found a successful formula after not winning more than two consecutive games before their current run of success began.
Leonard’s productive night came after he scored a career-best 55 points in a victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. He has averaged 37.8 points over the last five games.
Kawhi Leonard finishes with 55 points, 11 rebounds and five steals to power the Clippers to a 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
The Clippers’ winning streak started on the same night center Ivica Zubac went down with a left ankle sprain. Zubac has not played in any of the last four games.
Nique Clifford scored 18 points while Maxime Raynaud and Russell Westbrook each had 12 for the Kings, who fell to 3-12 since Nov. 26. Raynaud also grabbed 12 rebounds, but Sacramento lost its fifth consecutive road game.
Westbrook added four assists and a pair of three-pointers against his former team.
The Clippers left little doubt from the start. They led 34-20 after one quarter and were up by 36 in the second before taking a 70-43 advantage into halftime. They shot 57.1% from the field in the second quarter while scoring 39 points, with Leonard delivering 18 of them.
Leonard had 30 points through three quarters as the Clippers led 100-71 and coasted from there.
The Clippers shot 51.1% from the field overall while posting its largest margin of victory this season. Sacramento shot 41% from the floor.
The Clippers committed just four turnovers while forcing the Kings into 19 that they turned into 28 points.
Up next for the Clippers: vs. the Utah Jazz at Intuit Dome on Thursday.
