Kawhi Leonard made the decisive jump shot with in the fourth quarter and contributed 14 of his 21 points in a late 22-0 surge for the Clippers. This propelled them to a 125-114 victory over the Nets, who were visiting on Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers started the game by allowing the first 16 points and were behind by 18 points three times in the late third quarter. They entered the fourth quarter facing a 15-point deficit. However, they managed to turn the game around by outscoring the Nets 41-15 in the final 12 minutes. They made 12 of 16 shots, sank 12 free throws, and outrebounded the Nets 14-2. Kawhi Leonard had a 6-of-15 shooting performance, and the Clippers struggled to find their rhythm until the fourth quarter.
James Harden led the Clippers with 24 points, eight of which were scored in the fourth quarter, and also provided 10 assists. Russell Westbrook contributed 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists to keep Los Angeles competitive until the final quarter. Terrance Mann added 13 points, and George also helped Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers with 12 points. Bridges scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half for the Nets. Cam Thomas also added 20 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie and Nic Claxton contributed 16 points each. However, the Nets missed their final eight shots and suffered their 10th loss in 12 games.
Nikola Jokic had an impressive performance, scoring 42 points on 15-of-20 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds as the Denver Nuggets defeated the struggling Washington Wizards 113-104 on Sunday night. Jokic, who also recorded eight assists, has been shooting 74.6 percent from the field in the last 12 games, helping Denver secure eight wins during that period. Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray each scored 19 points, while Aaron Gordon contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 10 points for the Nuggets. Meanwhile, Tyus Jones had 15 points and 13 assists, Kyle Kuzma scored 17, Daniel Gafford added 15 points, and Landry Shamet and Marvin Bagley III contributed 14 points each off the bench for Washington.
Paolo Banchero scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to help the Orlando Magic secure a 105-87 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday. Franz Wagner made a comeback from an eight-game absence due to a right ankle sprain and contributed 19 points and five assists. Wendell Carter Jr. also had a strong performance with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs added 12 and 11 points respectively for the Magic, who earned their second win in seven games.
On the Miami Heat side, Bam Adebayo finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, while Jimmy Butler added 15 points. Tyler Herro scored 12 points, including four 3-pointers, and Caleb Martin contributed 11 points for the Heat, who suffered their third consecutive loss and scored a season low in points.
Kristaps Porzingis led the scoring with 32 points, and Jaylen Brown achieved a triple-double as the Boston Celtics defeated the short-handed Houston Rockets 116-107 on Sunday. Brown contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Derrick White added 21 points and 11 boards for Boston. The team was missing Jrue Holiday due to an elbow injury and Al Horford due to rest.
Alperen Sengun recorded a triple-double for Houston with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Rockets were without Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. due to injuries. Despite the absence of key players, rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore were inserted into the starting lineup, and the Rockets made a strong effort, narrowing the gap to 93-90 before the Celtics regained control and secured the win.
Kevin Durant scored 13 of his 40 points in the final quarter as the Phoenix Suns managed to hold off the Indiana Pacers 117-110 after nearly losing a double-digit lead. Bradley Beal contributed 25 points, including six crucial points in just over a minute during the fourth quarter. Despite struggling from 3-point range, Devin Booker still managed to score 26 points and lead the game with eight assists.
Grayson Allen added 13 points, hitting three out of four shots from beyond the arc, while Jusuf Nurkic grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. Pascal Siakam, in his second game with Indiana after being traded from Toronto, finished with 15 points and seven assists. Jalen Smith scored 15 points off the bench, and Pacers reserves Jarace Walker and Obi Toppin contributed 10 points with nine rebounds and 13 points with six rebounds, respectively.
D’Angelo Russell put up 34 points and eight assists, while LeBron James contributed 28 points as the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back with a 134-110 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Anthony Davis also had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Lakers, who had a lackluster performance in their previous game, are now 5-7 since December 30. Austin Reaves scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, after struggling in the previous game.
On the Blazers’ side, Malcolm Brogdon scored 23 points and had nine assists, while Anfernee Simons added 19 points. The Blazers’ two-game winning streak came to an end as they began a four-game road trip. Jerami Grant and Duop Reath scored 17 and 16 points, respectively, for the Blazers, who were unable to extend their winning streak. Jabari Walker contributed 12 points and seven rebounds as the Blazers completed the season series with three losses against the Lakers.
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