Norman Powell led the Los Angeles Clippers with 27 points as they held off the Charlotte Hornets 112-104 on Friday night. Kawhi Leonard added 21 points and nine rebounds, while James Harden contributed 14 points and 10 assists in the win.
Los Angeles improved to 28-20 and extended its dominance over Charlotte, securing its 13th straight victory in the matchup. The Hornets, now 12-33, continued to struggle at home, dropping to 1-4 on their nine-game homestand.
The Clippers built a 10-point lead in the third quarter but faced resistance from Charlotte in the final period. After the Hornets trimmed the deficit to 97-95 with 6:44 remaining, Kevin Porter Jr. sparked a 7-0 run that included a dunk, a layup from Powell, and a three-pointer by Harden.
Leonard sealed the game with a dunk at the 1:45 mark, giving the Clippers their largest lead of the night at 110-99. Ivica Zubac posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick Jones Jr. chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 27 points and nine rebounds, but the team’s struggles from deep proved costly. The Hornets shot just 7-for-30 from three-point range, compared to the Clippers’ 11-for-28 mark.
Vasilije Micic had one of his best games for the Hornets, scoring 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Josh Green added 10 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting night, while Moussa Diabate contributed 11 points and 14 rebounds off the bench.
