INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games Tuesday night with a 131-90 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
James Harden had 21 points while John Collins and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser each added 16 for the Clippers, who have found a successful formula after not winning more than two consecutive games before their current run of success began.
Leonard’s productive night came after he scored a career-best 55 points in a victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. He has averaged 37.8 points over the past five games.
Los Angeles’ win streak started on the same night center Ivica Zubac went down with a left ankle sprain. Zubac has not played in any of the past four games.
Nique Clifford scored 18 points while Maxime Raynaud and Russell Westbrook each had 12 for the Kings, who fell to 3-12 since Nov. 26. Raynaud also grabbed 12 rebounds, but Sacramento lost its fifth consecutive road game.
Westbrook added four assists and a pair of 3-pointers against his former team.
The Clippers left little doubt from the start. They led 34-20 after one quarter and were up by 36 in the second before taking a 70-43 advantage into halftime. They shot 57.1 per cent from the floor in the second quarter while scoring 39 points, with Leonard delivering 18 of them.
Leonard had 30 points through three quarters as the Clippers led 100-71 and coasted from there.
Los Angeles shot 51.1 per cent from the field overall while posting its largest margin of victory this season. Sacramento shot 41 per cent from the floor.
The Clippers committed just four turnovers while forcing the Kings into 19 that they turned into 28 points.
Kings: Home against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.
Clippers: Home against the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
