The Los Angeles Clippers secured their fifth consecutive victory by defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 128-108 on Friday night. James Harden led the way with 30 points, while Kawhi Leonard added 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Los Angeles (40-30) trailed by six at halftime but dominated the second half, outscoring Memphis 68-42. Ivica Zubac contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 16 points. The Clippers improved to 3-0 against the Grizzlies this season.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis (43-28) with 23 points, while Santi Aldama added 16. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Luke Kennard each chipped in 15, but the Grizzlies lost their third straight game. Memphis struggled without Ja Morant, who missed his fourth consecutive contest with a left hamstring injury.
Harden fueled a 19-5 third-quarter run that put Los Angeles ahead for good. Leonard, Zubac, and Bogdanovic all contributed as the Clippers’ balanced attack overwhelmed Memphis. The Grizzlies shot 42.1% from the field and 38.8% from three, while Los Angeles converted 57.7% of its attempts and 50% from beyond the arc.
Tyronn Lue missed his fifth game in seven contests due to back pain, leaving Brian Shaw in charge. The Clippers are now 4-1 under Shaw. They remain one game behind Golden State for the sixth seed in the Western Conference, looking to avoid the play-in tournament.
Los Angeles has now won eight of its last nine games, peaking at the right time.
