Kawhi Leonard Leads Clippers to Victory Against Rockets
HOUSTON (AP) — Kawhi Leonard contributed 27 points to propel the Los Angeles Clippers to a 105-102 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, thanks to a crucial three-point play with just two seconds remaining.
In addition to his points, Leonard grabbed 12 rebounds and tallied 19 points in the fourth quarter, marking his career-high streak of 33 games with at least 20 points.
With the Clippers holding a four-point lead, Kevin Durant converted one of his free throws, followed by a layup from Alperen Sengun that narrowed the gap to 102-101 with 43 seconds to go. Leonard’s missed 3-pointer set the stage for Jabari Smith Jr. to secure the rebound for Houston.
Sengun went 1 for 2 from the free-throw line with 7.2 seconds left, tying the game. Leonard then rebounded the missed free throw, leading to a Clippers timeout. He subsequently sank a fadeaway jumper while being fouled, converting the free throw to put the score at 105-102.
Houston attempted to respond but Tari Eason’s shot went off the mark, sealing the Clippers’ victory.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 21 points, while Reed Sheppard added 17 points off the bench.
Cavaliers Dominate Wizards
CLEVELAND (AP) — Sam Merrill scored a career-high 32 points and Donovan Mitchell netted 30 as the Cavaliers easily defeated the Wizards in James Harden’s first home game with the team.
Harden recorded 13 points and dished out 11 assists in 28 minutes, despite shooting only 1 of 4 from the field while making 10 of 12 free throws.
Cleveland has now secured five consecutive victories and 10 wins in their last 11 games, maintaining a commanding lead throughout the match.
Mitchell recorded his 28th 30-point game, while Jarrett Allen contributed 21 points along with nine rebounds.
Kyshawn George led Washington with 17 points, as the Wizards faced their third straight loss.
Hornets Hold Off Hawks
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Despite having two starters suspended, Brandon Miller scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while LaMelo Ball made seven 3-pointers to help Charlotte defeat Atlanta.
Kon Knueppel contributed 18 points, aiding the Hornets in finishing 19 of 51 from 3-point range, extending their success to 10 wins in 11 games.
For Atlanta, Dyson Daniels scored 21 points while Jalen Johnson had a near triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists.
Bulls Fall to Celtics
BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored 26 points, leading the Celtics to a dominant win over the Bulls ahead of the All-Star break.
Jaylen Brown added 24 points as Boston took a significant 28-point lead into halftime, capitalizing on Chicago’s absence of key players.
Rob Dillingham was the top scorer for Chicago with 16 points as they entered a six-game losing streak.
Heat Triumph Over Pelicans
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Bam Adebayo led Miami with 27 points and 14 rebounds, guiding the team to a win over New Orleans.
Despite being down players, Miami has improved to 29-27, fueled by Adebayo’s strong performance.
Zion Williamson scored 26 points for the Pelicans, who fell short in their prior two matches against Miami.
