Kawhi Leonard, Clippers send Kings to 11th straight defeat
Kawhi Leonard produced a game-high 31 points, Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. contributed and-ones to a fourth-quarter pull-away and the visiting Los Angeles Clippers handed the Sacramento Kings their 11th straight defeat, 114-111 on Friday.
Playing short-handed in the aftermath of trades this week that saw them export James Harden and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers trailed 84-81 early in the fourth quarter before outfinishing the Kings for an 11th win in their past 15 games.
Leonard put the rally in motion with a long 2-pointer, after which Brook Lopez gave the Clippers the lead for good on a 3-pointer with 9:50 remaining.
Dunn's big contribution came on an 11-foot floater on which he was fouled, setting up a three-point play, and two minutes later on a 3-pointer that increased the visitors' lead to 96-89 with 6:52 left.
Jones then drilled a 24-footer as he was being fouled. He also hit the free throw for a four-point play and a 99-91 margin with 8:36 to go, and the Kings never recovered.
Leonard went 12-for-12 at the free-throw line en route to his 13th 30-point performance of the season. He also found time for nine rebounds and a game-high seven assists.
John Collins added 22 points for the Clippers, while Lopez and Dunn finished with 15 points apiece and Jones had 13. Lopez tied Leonard for team-high rebound honors with nine and also blocked three shots.
The Kings held out star center Domantas Sabonis because of a sore back but still got plenty of production from substitute big man Maxime Raynaud, who had 12 points and five rebounds, and his backup, Dylan Cardwell, who snatched a game-high 14 rebounds to go with 14 points.
Malik Monk came off the bench to pace the Kings with 18 points, all on 3-pointers, while Nique Clifford had 16 and Devin Carter 14.
Sacramento veteran starters De'Andre Hunter, Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine combined to shoot just 6-for-25 overall and 0-for-12 on 3-point attempts, the latter contributing to 27.0% team accuracy from beyond the arc. None of the four scored more than six points.