Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points in just 25 minutes, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a dominant 129-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
Brook Lopez added 19 points, and Darius Garland contributed 15 points and six assists as the Clippers won back-to-back games following a four-game skid. Los Angeles made all 18 of their free throws and returned to .500 with 10 games left in the regular season after a 6-21 start on Dec. 18.
The Clippers controlled the game from start to finish, particularly from beyond the arc. They shot 17-of-38 (45%) from three-point range and extended their dominance in the second half, at one point leading by 46. Lopez, standing 7-foot-1, even went 4-of-5 on threes in the third quarter. Leonard had a slow start but scored 16 points in the second quarter before sitting out the fourth.
Milwaukee was paced off the bench by Gary Trent Jr. with 20 points, while Ryan Rollins led the starters with 13. The Bucks had five players in double figures but have lost 10 of their past 14 games, including three of four since superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been sidelined with a left knee injury.
Leonard, now in his 14th NBA season, is averaging a career-high 28.3 points per game, helping solidify the Clippers’ spot in the play-in tournament after a rough start to the year.
Up Next: The Bucks travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, while the Clippers host the Toronto Raptors.
