Kawhi Leonard’s 29 points and Bennedict Mathurin’s 28 helped the Los Angeles Clippers overcome the New York Knicks 126-118. The Clippers reached a .500 record for the first time since early November.
Clippers’ March Momentum
The Clippers now stand at 32-32, marking their resurgence after a challenging 6-21 start to the season. They have won five of their first six games in March as they aim to improve their position in the NBA Play-in Tournament.
Leonard has now scored 20-plus points in 42 straight games. This is the second-longest active streak in the NBA and the third-longest in Clippers history.
Mathurin contributed 22 points in the second half coming off the bench. Darius Garland added 23 points and seven assists in his second start. There were five Clippers in double figures.
Knicks’ Comeback Attempts Fall Short
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 35 points and 12 rebounds. He shot 13-of-17 from the field and also had seven assists before fouling out in the final seconds. Jalen Brunson added 28 points, and OG Anunoby had 22 points.
Fueled by “Let’s go Knicks!” chants at Intuit Dome, New York reduced a 15-point deficit. A 17-9 run, including six consecutive points from Brunson, brought them within 88-81 entering the fourth quarter.
The Knicks closed within five points on three occasions in the final four minutes. The Clippers then controlled the final two minutes, highlighted by Mathurin’s three-point play and a 3-pointer from Derrick Jones Jr.
Series Split and Upcoming Games
The Knicks, standing third in the Eastern Conference, split the season series with the Clippers. They haven’t won in Los Angeles against the Clippers since 2022 and have lost three of their last four games.
- The Clippers made their first four 3-point attempts.
- They led for most of the first half, which featured a scoring battle between Leonard and Towns.
- Leonard scored 10 consecutive points for the Clippers.
- Towns scored eight straight for the Knicks.
The Clippers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Knicks will visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.