INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, Benedict Maturin scored 28 and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the New York Knicks 126-118 on Monday night to climb back to .500 for the first time since early November.
The Clippers are now 32-32 and have won five of their first six games in March as they try to improve their potential standing in the NBA qualifiers. They started the season with a 6-21 record.
advertise
This is Leonard’s 42nd consecutive game with more than 20 points, the second-longest such streak in the NBA and the third-longest in franchise history.
Maturin scored 22 points off the bench in the second half and was one of five Clippers players to score in double figures. Darius Garland had 23 points and seven assists in his second start.
Karl-Anthony Towns made 13 of 17 shots and scored a team-high 35 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists, but fouled out in the final seconds. Jalen Brunson scored 28 points and OG Anunoby scored 22 points.
Inspired by chants of “Go Knicks!” At the Intuit Dome, New York went on a 17-9 run, including six straight points from Brunson, to trail 88-81 entering the fourth quarter.
advertise
The Knicks closed the game within five points three times in the final four minutes. But with the help of Mathurin’s three-pointer and Derrick Jones Jr.’s three-pointer, the Clippers controlled the final two minutes.
The Knicks are third in the Eastern Conference race, split this season’s series with the Clippers and haven’t beaten the Clippers in Los Angeles since 2022. New York has lost three of four games.
The Clippers opened the game with four consecutive three-pointers and led for most of the first half, which ended with a scoring duel between Leonard and Towns. Leonard scored 10 points in a row for the Clippers, and Towns scored 8 points in a row for the Knicks. The Knicks trailed 64-55 at halftime.
Next
Knicks: Visit Utah on Wednesday.
Clippers: Host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA