Big third quarter lifts Clippers past Wizards
WASHINGTON — Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points, James Harden added 25 and the Clippers pulled away with a big third quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 125-109 on Wednesday night.
The Clippers outscored Washington 40-19 in the third after leading by 10 in the first half.
Harden’s pullup three-pointer from the top of the arc stretched the lead to 20 points for the first time with 5:42 left in the period. Later, Leonard’s emphatic dunk off a driving, spinning feed from Russell Westbrook pushed it 25, and Norman Powell’s basket made it 106-79 at the end of the third.
“It was huge, in that third quarter, just coming out with a defensive mindset,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “For our guys to lock in and give up 25 and 19 (points) in the second and third, I thought it was huge for us. It allowed us to get the lead and it was kind of over after that.”
Leonard and Harden each had nine rebounds. And Harden hit five three-pointers to help the Clippers snap out of a long-range shooting slump on a night they rested eight-time All-Star Paul George because of groin soreness.
Kawhi Leonard finishes with 30 points, but Paul George fouls out late as the Clippers saw their five-game winning streak end in a 118-108 loss to Cleveland.
The Clippers were 12 of 30 from three-point range after three straight games hitting under 33%. The Clippers were 12 of 25 before removing their starters.
“I would like if we get more 3s up,” Lue said. “Just how good of a shooting team that we are. Attacking the paint, making the right pass, getting open threes. We turned down some tonight.”
The Clippers are 3-1 so far on a seven-game trip, and finished January 12-3 on a day they began in fourth place in the Western Conference.
“We’ve got the right approach and the great mindset of every single game is similar to where, no matter the opponent, it’s about us,” Harden said. “Because we can be really, really good. And the chemistry and the communication aspect is the most important thing.”
Kyle Kuzma scored 23 of his 27 points the first half for Washington. The Wizards are 2-2 under interim coach Brian Keefe after Wes Unseld Jr. was fired last week.
Rookie and Bilal Coulibaly scored 19 points in his second career start and first since Oct. 30. He replaced shooting guard Jordan Poole (illness) in the lineup.
James Harden finishes with 22 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and to lead the Clippers to a 127-107 victory over Toronto Raptors.
Up next
The Clippers are at Detroit on Friday night.
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