NBA: Clippers rout Lakers, halt 3 skids; Luka Doncic injures leg
Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points with 12 rebounds, James Harden added 21 points with 10 assists and the Los Angeles Clippers ended an eight-game home losing streak with a 103-88 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday at Inglewood, Calif.
The Lakers not only opened the game without three starters in Deandre Ayton (elbow), Rui Hachimura (groin) and Austin Reaves (calf), but Luka Doncic was ruled out after halftime with a left leg contusion.
John Collins added 17 points with 12 rebounds and Brook Lopez had 11 points for the Clippers, who also ended a four-game losing streak against the crosstown Lakers.
The Clippers, who lost center Ivica Zubac to a left ankle injury in the first quarter, held the Lakers to 38.6% shooting from the floor and 6 of 38 (15.8%) from 3-point range while winning a home game for the first time since Oct. 31.
LeBron James scored a season-high 36 points for the Lakers, while Doncic had 12 in 20 minutes before departing. Jake LaRavia had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who are 4-4 this month after closing November on a seven-game winning streak.
The Clippers were in control from the start, taking a 9-0 lead just over three minutes into the game and going up 28-15 after one quarter. The Clippers pushed their advantage to as many as 17 in the second quarter and led 54-39 at halftime.
Doncic was just 4 of 13 from the floor in the first half and appeared to be limping in the second quarter. He did not return to the game after halftime.
The Clippers led by double digits throughout the third quarter and took an 80-61 advantage into the fourth before the Lakers made a run. A 12-0 burst brought the Lakers within 80-73 on a LaRavia layup with 7:56 remaining.
Collins and Harden made 3-pointers to power an 8-0 Clippers run for an 88-73 lead with 6:35 left to take control and end a five-game overall losing streak.
--Field Level Media/Reuters