Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame the loss of Paul George while extending their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 119-99 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.
James Harden and Norman Powell each scored 15 points and Terance Mann added 10 as the Clippers played without George after halftime because of a sore left groin. Leonard was 11 of 14 from the field while eclipsing 30 points for the third consecutive game.
After a rough stretch when Harden was initially added to the roster on Nov. 6, Los Angeles has now won 10 of its past 13 games.
Keegan Murray scored 17 points and Domantas Sabonis added 15 points with 10 rebounds for the Kings, who lost to the Clippers for the second time in two weeks. De’Aaron Fox scored 14 points for Sacramento.
Both teams were playing for the second consecutive night after the Clippers defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and the Kings got past the Brooklyn Nets at home. The Kings are now 0-3 on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Clippers took control early, leading 32-24 after one quarter before stretching their lead to as many as 29 points before halftime. Los Angeles was up 70-48 at the break after shooting 59.1 percent from the field. George had nine points and six rebounds in 16 minutes of the first half.
The Clippers extended their lead to 33 points late in the third quarter at 99-66 and there was little doubt from there, as Los Angeles guaranteed no worse than a tie in the four-game season series against the Kings.
The Clippers finished 52.4 percent from the field, the second consecutive game they made more than half of their total shots and the third time in their past seven contests.
It was the fourth time the Kings were held under 100 points in a game this season. Sacramento was coming off a 131-point performance against Brooklyn.
–Field Level Media
