Paul George had 21 factors and 10 assists, Kawhi Leonard added 17 factors and the Los Angeles Clippers emerged from two inconsistent weeks with a 125-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets
LOS ANGELES — Paul George had 21 factors and 10 assists, Kawhi Leonard added 17 factors and the Los Angeles Clippers emerged from two inconsistent weeks with a 125-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday evening.
Terance Mann scored 16 factors and Lou Williams had 15 for the Clippers, who had seven scorers in double figures and went 23 for 23 from the free throw line throughout simply their third win in eight video games. Los Angeles bounced again from blowout losses to New Orleans and Dallas within the earlier six days with an awesome effort towards the Hornets, who misplaced their third straight.
Miles Bridges scored a season-high 21 factors and Gordon Hayward added 17 for the Hornets, who took their worst defeat of the season for the second time in three video games.
George scored 12 factors whereas staking the Clippers to a 17-point lead within the first quarter. Los Angeles stored a wholesome margin for the remainder of the evening, permitting Leonard to relaxation within the fourth quarter.
“We’re a scary group once we play exhausting,” mentioned Terance Mann, who scored a season-high 16 factors in a reserve position.
LaMelo Ball scored 13 factors for Charlotte within the rookie sensation’s second straight sport in his native Los Angeles space. Ball performed extensively within the second half regardless of clearly combating discomfort in his proper wrist, which gave the impression to be injured in an early fall.
Hornets coach James Borrego had no postgame replace on Ball.
“Give the Clippers a ton of credit score,” Borrego mentioned. “They’re a heck of a group. … This season has been a grind. We’ve obtained a younger group that’s performed plenty of minutes, and so they proceed to indicate up each evening, hold battling and hold taking part in.”
The Hornets are winless on their five-game highway journey after shedding three straight for the primary time since Jan. 22. Charlotte, which misplaced by 25 in Denver to begin its journey, hasn’t overwhelmed the Clippers at Staples Heart in 11 tries since February 2009.
“It’s not been our best basketball these final three video games,” Hayward mentioned. “We is usually a lot higher, that’s for positive. We’ve obtained to attempt to decide ourselves up right here, keep collectively, keep constructive. It’s a season of ups and downs, and we’ve been by way of it already, so there’s no motive to hold our heads. We’ve performed three actually good groups, and it doesn’t get any simpler.”
TIP-INS
Hornets: Terry Rozier hit the three hundredth 3-pointer of his transient profession in Charlotte, changing into the quickest participant in Hornets historical past to succeed in the mark by doing it in simply 102 video games. He missed the ultimate quarter-hour with a bruise on his left hip. … Bridges was drafted by the Clippers in 2018 and shortly traded to Charlotte. … P.J. Washington sprained his proper ankle within the first half, however performed extensively within the second half.
Clippers: Patrick Beverley missed his fourth straight sport with proper knee soreness, and Serge Ibaka sat out his third straight with decrease again tightness. … LA was good on the free throw line for the third time this season and the twenty sixth time in franchise historical past. … Luke Kennard, the Clippers’ $64 million guard, did not play till rubbish time after sitting out the final two video games.
NIC’S REVENGE
Nicolas Batum had 11 factors and 5 rebounds off the bench for the Clippers in his first sport towards the Hornets since he was waived final November to make room for Hayward’s arrival. The French large man spent 5 years in Charlotte, scoring a career-high 15.1 factors per sport in 2016-17.
“He did a terrific job setting the tone early along with his protection when he checked into the sport,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue mentioned. “The blokes have been joyful for him taking part in towards his outdated group, and to get a win like that’s fairly spectacular.”
UP NEXT
Hornets: At Spurs on Monday.
Clippers: Host Hawks on Monday.
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Extra AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports activities
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