INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points, James Harden added 21, and the Los Angeles Clippers had the largest margin of victory in franchise history, routing the Brooklyn Nets 126-67 on Wednesday night (Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, PH time).
The Clippers broke the team margin mark of 50 against Oklahoma City on April 10, 2022. It also was the worst loss in Nets’ history, eclipsing a 52-point defeat to Houston on Oct. 18, 1978.
LA’s largest lead was 64 points midway through the fourth quarter, despite coach Tyronn Lue emptying his bench late in the third quarter.
Leonard logged a season-high 24 minutes as he took part in his fourth game since coming back from a knee injury.
Jalen Wilson led the Nets with 16 points and Day’Ron Sharpe had 12. Brooklyn has dropped five of six.
Norman Powell added 18 points for the Clippers, who led 58-35 at halftime before opening the third quarter with 13 points en route to a 29-3 run. At the end of the quarter, LA had a 102-51 advantage.
The Nets’ Noah Clowney was ejected with 9:55 remaining in the fourth quarter after picking up his second technical foul.
The Clippers’ Terance Mann did not play in the second half due to left calf soreness. Mann scored five points in eight minutes during the first half.
The Clippers trailed 25-24 with 10:07 remaining in the second quarter before going on a 21-4 run over the next 5:35. Leonard scored eight points and Amir Coffey five as LA took control.
The Clippers shot 54.4 percent from the field (43 of 79), while the Nets were at 30.5 percent (25 of 82), including 5 of 27 on 3-pointers.
Warriors 116, Timberwolves 115
MINNEAPOLIS — Stephen Curry made seven 3-pointers and scored 31 points to help the Golden State Warriors stave off a furious comeback by the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 116-115 victory.
Andrew Wiggins added 24 points for a depleted Warriors team seeking a spark on the last stop on a four-game trip after falling below .500 for the first time this season in a loss Monday at Toronto.
Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo each scored 28 points for the Wolves, who trailed by 24 points late in the first quarter and fought back for a 108-all tie with 1:07 left.
After Gary Payton II stepped out in a backcourt trap, DiVincenzo took an easy layup to cut the lead to 113-112 with 12.1 seconds left and promptly fouled Payton. He missed the second free throw, but Wiggins grabbed the rebound and Curry sealed it with two foul shots.
With Draymond Green (illness), Jonathan Kuminga (ankle), and Kyle Anderson (hamstring) missing from the frontcourt, the Warriors built a 26-5 lead behind an 8-for-12 start from 3-point range. This was a had-to-have-it performance for a team Green recently said lost its soul.
Whether the 8:43 p.m. tipoff time or the absence of intense opponents Green and Anderson were factors, the lifeless start was concerning for a team struggling to sustain momentum. The Wolves missed their first eight shots and kept the fans standing for the first 4:16 until they scored.
DiVincenzo’s sixth 3-pointer of the night with 2:12 to go brought Minnesota within two for a fourth time down the stretch. DiVincenzo had his season high in points and matched it with nine assists.
The Wolves had 12 points in the first quarter, their season low for any period and the fewest the Warriors have allowed in any quarter this season.
Elsewhere, the Milwaukee Bucks won 122-93 over the Orlandi Magic, Atlanta Hawks beat Chicago Bulls 110-94, Memphis Grizzlies rolled past San Antonio Spurs 129-115, New Orleans Pelicans outlasted Dallas Mavericks 119-116, Charlotte Hornets won 117-112 over Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets beat Denver Nuggets 128-108, Los Angeles Lakers won 117-108 over Miami Heat, New York Knicks edged Philadelphia 76ers 125-119, and the Toronto Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics 110-97. / AP