LeBron James missed Wednesday’s Clippers-Lakers battle with an ankle injury. Kawhi Leonard didn’t miss a shot for two-and-a-half quarters.
Kawhi Leonard (8/8 FGM) hasn't missed in the Battle of LA #NBARivalsWeek
— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2024
Lakers-Clippers | Live on TNT pic.twitter.com/ty2DHND5by
Leonard made his first eight shots of the game and finished with a 25-point triple-double in the Clippers’ 127-116 win over their cross-hallway opponents at the Crypto.com Arena. It's only the second triple-double of Leonard's career. Overall, he shot 11-for-16 and made all three of his free throws - and two of his five misses came on the same play.
Kawhi Leonard tallied a triple-double in the Clippers' Battle of LA win! #NBARivalsWeek
— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2024
25 PTS
11 REB
10 AST
68% FG pic.twitter.com/Jo6Q4RI2DS
The Clippers scored 77 points in the first half and shot 66 percent from the field. Leonard went 7-for-7 while Terance Mann was 6-for-7 before halftime, and James Harden scored 20.
Still, the Lakers didn’t quit. They got within two points in the fourth quarter when D’Angelo Russell blocked Harden and it turned into a layup on the other end.
D'Lo blocks it on one end and the Lakers cut the deficit to 2 on the other end!#NBARivalsWeek
— NBA (@NBA) January 24, 2024
Lakers-Clippers | Live on TNT pic.twitter.com/jK49TJqRVR
Leonard re-entered the game, and the Lakers' hopes for a comeback died. Leonard assisted on three straight baskets as the Clippers went on an 11-2 run. Overall, the Clippers outscored the Lakers 17-8 while Leonard was on the court in the fourth, as he collected four points, four assists and four rebounds.
By contrast, Anthony Davis came up small down the stretch. In 8:53 of fourth-quarter time, Davis didn't score and had as many fouls as rebounds (two). For the entire game, he had an impressive 26 points and 12 rebounds - but that was before Leonard started guarding him on defense down the stretch.
Anthony Davis had 26 points on 12/19 FGs through 3 quarters
— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) January 24, 2024
Anthony Davis played 8:53 in 4th quarter. Here was his only shot attempt. Kawhi Leonard on the assignment.
5 Lakers attempted more shots than AD. Russell, Prince, Vanderbilt, Reaves, Wood combined to make 7/21 FGs pic.twitter.com/5uX6cGHwI0
At the beginning of the game, Leonard couldn't miss. At the end, he denied Davis so completely that he barely got a chance to miss.
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