Kawhi Leonard scored 10 of his 36 points in the final five minutes to help the visiting Los Angeles Clippers hold off the Atlanta Hawks 149-144 on Monday and extend their winning streak to four games.
Leonard, named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week earlier in the day, put the Clippers ahead with a putback basket at 4:52, then provided separation with six points over back-to-back possessions — a three-point play followed by a 3-pointer. He was 13-for-20 from the field with five 3-pointers.
James Harden scored 30 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and was 10-for-10 from the free-throw line with eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter matched his season high with 27 points. Trae Young, named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, had 25 points and 12 assists, and Dejounte Murray scored 21. Atlanta had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Pelicans 138, Raptors 100
Brandon Ingram scored a season-high 41 points and host New Orleans dominated from start to finish in a victory over sliding Toronto.
Ingram made 16 of 21 field-goal attempts, 8 of 11 3-pointers and added nine assists in just three quarters. CJ McCollum scored 20 points, Zion Williamson had 16, Jose Alvarado had 11 and Jonas Valanciunas added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans, who recorded their largest margin of victory this season.
Gradey Dick scored a career-high 22 points, Scottie Barnes had 17 and Jakob Poeltl added 14 to lead the Raptors, who lost for the eighth time in nine games and for the 12th time in 14 games.
Mavericks 118, 76ers 102
Kyrie Irving returned from a six-game absence due to a sprained right thumb to score 23 points as Dallas defeated host Philadelphia.
Josh Green added 20 points, Luka Doncic contributed 19, Jaden Hardy scored 17 and Grant Williams and Maxi Kleber had 14 apiece. Jason Kidd recorded his 300th career victory as an NBA coach.
Philadelphia played without reigning MVP Joel Embiid, who is expected to undergo surgery on the lateral meniscus in his left knee later this week. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers with 19 points, Tobias Harris scored 17 and Tyrese Maxey had 15 on 6-of-16 shooting. Mo Bamba hauled in a game-high 10 rebounds.
Lakers 124, Hornets 118
Anthony Davis turned in a triple-double, D’Angelo Russell poured in 28 points and LeBron James posted 26 points as Los Angeles beat host Charlotte for its third victory in a row.
Davis provided 26 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists and a key blocked shot in the final minute as the Lakers, who were in control for most of the game, held on to complete a 4-2 road trip. Christian Wood had 11 points off the bench.
Charlotte is on an eight-game losing streak after another home loss — the second in as many nights — despite Miles Bridges pumping in 41 points. Brandon Miller kept up his offensive production with 33 points, while P.J. Washington’s 15 points and Bryce McGowen’s 10 points were boosts in bench scoring.
Warriors 109, Nets 98
Stephen Curry scored 29 points as Golden State took control in the second half and pulled away from host Brooklyn for the Warriors’ third win in four games.
Two nights after producing his second career 60-point game in a seven-point overtime loss at Atlanta, Curry made 12 of 24 shots and hit Golden State’s only four 3-pointers (on 11 attempts) as the Warriors finished 4-for-22 from behind the arc.
Coming off a 40-point game Saturday in Philadelphia, Cam Thomas led the Nets with 18 points but shot 4-for-21 from the floor. Nic Claxton added 15 and a career-high seven blocks before getting ejected for a flagrant-two foul on Brandin Podziemski with 4:59 left.
Cavaliers 136, Kings 110
Donovan Mitchell poured in a game-high 29 points, Cleveland used 13 first-half 3-pointers to build a big lead and the NBA’s hottest team won its sixth in a row, running away from road-weary Sacramento.
Max Strus used six 3-pointers in 10 attempts as the foundation for a 22-point night and combined with Mitchell for 11 treys, helping the Cavaliers equal their highest 3-pointer total of the season (23) en route to the comfortable win.
Domantas Sabonis recorded his 15th triple-double of the season, but it wasn’t enough for the Kings, who finished their road trip with a 5-2 mark. Sacramento had won its previous two games.
–Field Level Media
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