Clippers beat Wizards 102-93; Washington drops 9th in a row

Updated Dec. 17, 2022 6:37 p.m. ET

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 31 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Washington 102-93 on Saturday, extending the Wizards’ skid to a season-worst nine games.

Luke Kennard added a season-high 20 points off the bench, tying his season high with four 3-pointers.

Kristaps Porzingis led the Wizards with 19 points. Kyle Kuzma added 17 points and Deni Avdija had 10 rebounds. The Wizards, who were without Bradley Beal, have lost 12 of 13.

Leonard carried the offensive load on a day when Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Reggie Jackson and Norman Powell were sidelined. That left the Clippers without nearly 61 combined points on average.

But they fought back in the fourth. Brandon Boston Jr. came off the bench for a steal and score, tying it at 78. The Clippers went up 81-78 on Amir Coffey's layup and Kennard's free throw after the Wizards' delay of game technical.

Washington ran off seven in a row and the Clippers answered with six straight. Porzingis' basket drew the Wizards into a tie at 87-all.

Kennard passed to Nicolas Batum for a 3-pointer that put the Clippers in front by three.

Then Leonard got going. He scored eight in a row and only missed a free throw that would have capped a three-point play as the Clippers led 98-89 and closed out their fourth win in five games.

The Clippers were down 15 points in the second quarter, but Leonard took over starting in the third. He scored eight of their first nine points to pull the Clippers into a tie at 59-all.

From there, the Wizards outscored the Clippers 16-13 to lead 75-72 heading into the fourth. Avdija had six points, punctuated by a one-handed slam, and Kuzma and two-way player Jordan Goodwin had five each as Leonard sat down with 3 1/2 minutes left.

TIP-INS

Wizards: Beal (right hamstring strain) sat out his sixth straight game.

Clippers: George has a sore left knee, Zubac has a left knee contusion, Jackson has left Achilles inflammation and Powell has a left groin strain. ... The teams played a week ago and the Clippers won by 10 points on the road.

WALL 12K

Clippers guard John Wall hit a 3-pointer in the game's opening moments against his former team that pushed him over 12,000 career points. He's one of nine active players with at least 12,000 points, 5,500 assists and 1,000 steals. He finished with nine points, six assists and three rebounds.

UP NEXT

Wizards: Stay in Los Angeles to visit the Lakers on Sunday.

Clippers: Host Charlotte on Wednesday to end a five-game homestand.

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