Kawhi Leonard delivered another efficient scoring performance Monday night, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 129-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Intuit Dome.
Leonard finished with 28 points in just 25 minutes as Los Angeles dominated from the perimeter and snapped a recent skid while improving to 36-36 on the season.
The Clippers have now won consecutive games after previously dropping four straight, moving back to .500 with 10 games remaining and strengthening their position in the Western Conference play-in race.
Leonard controlled the second quarter, scoring 16 points during the period as Los Angeles broke the game open with a 43-point frame.
The two-time Finals MVP shot 8-for-18 from the field and made all nine of his free throw attempts before sitting out the entire fourth quarter with the outcome already decided.
Brook Lopez added 19 points and stretched Milwaukee’s defense with five three-pointers, including four during the third quarter.
Darius Garland contributed 15 points and six assists while directing an offense that consistently generated open perimeter shots.
Los Angeles shot 58% from the field and converted 17 of 38 attempts from beyond the arc, finishing at 45% from three-point range.
The Clippers also made every free throw they attempted, going 18-for-18 at the line while recording 30 assists on 47 made baskets.
The decisive stretch came early.
Los Angeles connected on 11 three-pointers in the first half and used a 7-for-12 run from deep during the second quarter to build separation.
The lead continued to expand after halftime as the Clippers pushed the margin to 46 points during the third quarter.
Milwaukee attempted to recover late but could not overcome its struggles from the perimeter.
The Bucks finished 16-for-41 from three-point range, with several of those makes coming during a late fourth-quarter stretch after the deficit had already ballooned.
Gary Trent Jr. led Milwaukee with 20 points off the bench, hitting six three-pointers in 31 minutes.
Ryan Rollins was the top scorer among the starters with 13 points and seven assists while Ousmane Dieng also contributed seven points and seven assists.
Five Milwaukee players finished in double figures, including AJ Green with 15 and Bobby Portis with 11.
The Bucks fell to 29-42 and continue to slide in the Eastern Conference standings.
Milwaukee has now lost 10 of its last 14 games, including three of four since Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined with a left knee injury.
The Clippers now appear positioned to secure a play-in tournament spot as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Milwaukee will continue its road trip Wednesday against the Portland Trail Blazers, while Los Angeles returns home to host the Toronto Raptors.
