Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 128-114 on Wednesday night. James Harden and Norman Powell each added 18 points, helping Los Angeles secure its 30th win of the season.
Leonard played a season-high 34 minutes, marking his third straight game logging at least 30 minutes. Harden contributed a double-double with 10 assists, while Amir Coffey had 15 points off the bench.
Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Kris Dunn scored 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Bogdan Bogdanovic, making his Clippers debut after being acquired from Atlanta, finished with seven points.
The Grizzlies, playing without Ja Morant due to a knee injury, relied on Desmond Bane, who scored 23 points, including 16 in the first quarter. Jaylen Wells added 18 points, while GG Jackson and Santi Aldama had 15 and 14, respectively.
Memphis started strong, outscoring the Clippers 39-28 in the first quarter behind Bane’s hot shooting. However, Los Angeles responded with a dominant second quarter, outscoring the Grizzlies 38-24 to take a three-point lead at halftime.
The Clippers extended their advantage in the third, outscoring Memphis 36-21 behind Leonard’s efficient scoring and Harden’s playmaking. Los Angeles shot 50.5% from the field and 95.5% from the free-throw line.
Memphis struggled with ball security, committing 22 turnovers that led to 41 Clippers points. The Grizzlies have now dropped two of their last three games heading into the All-Star break.
Harden made history in the third quarter, passing Hakeem Olajuwon for 13th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. The former MVP now has 26,949 career points.
Ben Simmons, who recently signed with Los Angeles after his buyout from Brooklyn, was introduced to the crowd but did not play.
