Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points, leading the host Los Angeles Clippers to a 130-127 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
Leonard hit 14 of 22 shots, including 7 of 9 3-pointers, with a 3-pointer in the third quarter allowing Leonard to top 10,000 career points.
Paul George had 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, Lou Williams added 21 points and Marcus Morris Sr. chipped in 11 points and seven boards for the Clippers. Nicolas Batum recorded four of the Clippers’ 13 steals.
Zach LaVine had a season-high 45 points, connecting on 10 of 16 3-pointers, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Bulls, who lost their third in a row. It was the third consecutive game that LaVine scored at least 32 points.
Garrett Temple had 18 points, Patrick Williams contributed 17 and Thaddeus Young scored 14 points. Coby White had a game-high 13 assists to go along with nine points.
The Bulls outshot the Clippers 61 percent to 48.9 percent. Los Angeles hit 20 of 38 3-pointers; Chicago made 18 of 33.
A four-point play by Batum gave the Clippers a 122-119 lead with 2:30 remaining. They never trailed again.
A 3-pointer by LaVine pulled the Bulls within 126-125 with 18.4 seconds left. Two foul shots by George gave Los Angeles a three-point lead with 15.2 seconds remaining. LaVine airballed a 3-point attempt before two more free throws by George clinched the win.
The score was tied at 94 entering the fourth quarter.
Leonard scored career-best 21 points in the third on the strength of five 3-pointers as Los Angeles outscored Chicago 42-35.
The Bulls led by as much as 13 in the second quarter before the Clippers rallied. Leonard’s basket sliced Chicago’s lead to 50-48 with about three minutes remaining in the second. However, LaVine helped spark an 11-4 run to end the half and boosted the Bulls to a 59-52 edge.
Bulls forward Otto Porter Jr. (back spasms), who left Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and did not return, missed the game.
–Field Level Media
