Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points as the Los Angeles Clippers held on to extend their winning streak to a season-best four games with a 132-127 victory Monday over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers.
James Harden and Paul George each scored 20 points and Ivica Zubac had 18 as the Clippers improved to 9-3 since Nov. 17. Los Angeles is also 9-8 since the addition of Harden in a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers after starting the Harden era on a five-game losing streak.
Anfernee Simons scored a season-high 38 points for the short-handed Trail Blazers, who lost their fourth consecutive game and are 3-13 since Nov. 5. Simons has scored at least 28 points in all three games since he returned from a thumb injury.
Shaedon Sharpe had 27 points for the Trail Blazers and rookie Scoot Henderson added 19. In a rare opportunity off the bench, Moses Brown had 12 rebounds for Portland.
The Blazers were playing without leading scorer Jerami Grant (concussion protocol), leading rebounder Deandre Ayton (knee) and Malcolm Brogdon (knee).
A personal 7-0 run by Russell Westbrook gave Los Angeles a 100-94 lead late in the third quarter and the Clippers never trailed until Sharpe made a pullup jumper that gave the Blazers a 121-120 lead with 3:32 remaining.
The Clippers took a 124-123 lead on two free throws from Terance Mann with 1:13 remaining. Zubac blocked a shot inside from Portland’s Toumani Camara with a minute remaining and George made a driving layup with 31 seconds left for a 126-123 Los Angeles lead.
Leonard sealed the victory with two free throws with 20.5 seconds remaining. Los Angeles made six free throws over the final 21 seconds.
The Clippers opened the game by shooting 76 percent from the field while taking a 43-32 lead after one quarter. After trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half, Portland rallied back to take a lead late in the second quarter before Los Angeles grabbed a 66-65 advantage at the half.
–Field Level Media
