Paul George and Kawhi Leonard orchestrated the Los Angeles Clippers (42-23) to a decisive 126-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls (32-35) on Thursday night.
George sunk six 3-pointers en route to 28 points, while Leonard had a 27-point performance, propelling the Clippers to victory, overcoming a late surge by the Bulls.
Despite missing key players, including James Harden for the Clippers and Coby White for the Bulls, George and Leonard rose to the occasion.
Norman Powell contributed 18 points off the bench, while Bones Hyland, who was given a rare chance to start the game in absence of Harden, added 17.
Chicago, led by DeMar DeRozan’s 21 points and Nikola Vucevic’s 19-point effort, mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to single digits, but the Clippers maintained control to secure the win.
Despite the Bulls’ resilience, highlighted by Alex Caruso’s 17 points and Andre Drummond’s 15, they were unable to overcome the Clippers.
With the victory, the Clippers solidify their position as contenders in the Western Conference, maintaining their fourth-place standing as they continue their pursuit of playoff success.
