Kawhi Leonard returned to the lineup Saturday and finished
with a team-high 28 points, and Paul George added 24 points, nine rebounds and
nine assists as the host Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Eastern
Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers 122-112 on Saturday.
اضافة اعلان
Leonard, who missed a game with a foot injury, also had four
rebounds and four assists, and Terance Mann scored a season-high 23 points off
the bench as the Clippers won their fifth straight game and seventh in their
last nine.
Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 29 points on 13 of 19
shooting, and added seven rebounds and six assists. Danny Green hit five
3-pointers and finished with 17 points, followed by Shake Milton with 16. Ben
Simmons chipped in with 15 points and seven rebounds for Philadelphia, which
saw its four-game winning streak broken.
The Clippers dominated inside, played sticky defense and
pushed the pace offensively. L.A. held a 12-0 advantage in fast-break points
and a 54-40 edge in paint points.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers faced the Clippers for the first
time since his departure last season. Rivers led them to six playoff
appearances and finished with a franchise-record 356 wins over his seven
seasons.
The Sixers played without MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who has
missed nine of the last 10 games and hasn’t played since March 12 due to a left
ankle sprain. The Sixers are 7-3 without Embiid in that span.
Making matters worse for the Sixers, backup center Dwight
Howard was ejected for a second game in a row with 10:35 left in the fourth
quarter. About two minutes later, Simmons fouled out.`
Philadelphia jumped out to a 10-point lead about midway
through the first quarter, but Leonard and Mann helped the Clippers reel in
Philadelphia in the second quarter, and L.A. led by five points at the half.
The Clippers led by as many as 19 points with 8:10 left in
the game and won going away.
“I think it was just being aggressive early,” Mann said
about his team’s win. “Guys got downhill and set the tempo right from the jump.
That’s what we’ve been doing the past five games, and we’re just going to
continue to play our basketball.”
Marcus Morris Sr. also returned to the starting lineup and
scored 13 points. Ivica Zubac added 11 rebounds, matching Howard for game-high
honors.
The Clippers remained without point guard Patrick Beverley
(knee) and gig man Serge Ibaka (back), and newly acquired Rajon Rondo was in
the building but did not play.
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