Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points — his career-high 23rd consecutive game with at least 20 — and the Los Angeles Clippers survived a tight fourth quarter to beat Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers 112-104 on Thursday night.
The Clippers have won seven of eight and 14 of 17 as they continue their upward climb from the depths of the Western Conference. Leonard, who missed a stretch when his team had nearly bottomed out in the standings, has a left knee contusion but he didn’t sit for long in the fourth.
LeBron James scored four points and Doncic hit a 3-pointer to cap a 19-7 run that closed the Lakers within two.