Kawhi Leonard led the way with 24 points, Kobe Sanders chipped in with 20 and the Los Angeles Clippers overcame the absence of James Harden to hold off the visiting Golden State Warriors, 103-102, on Monday night.
Leonard completed a double-double with a game-high 12 rebounds and Ivica Zubac had one of his own with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who learned before the game that Harden would be held out with a stiff shoulder.
Stephen Curry used a late flurry to lead all scorers with 27 points and Jimmy Butler III had 24 for the Warriors, who saw coach Steve Kerr ejected early in the fourth quarter for drawing two technical fouls for vehemently disputing a non-call on a potential goaltending infraction by the Clippers.
After trailing most of the night and by as many as 14 points, the Warriors rallied within 94-90 when Butler dropped in two free throws with 3:06 remaining.
Three baskets, including five points from Kris Dunn, helped the Clippers create some distance at 101-94 with just 1:48 to go, but Curry countered with consecutive threes, the second of which made it a one-point game with still 1:05 left.
It remained a one-point game into the final seconds, when Butler’s fadeaway 16-footer was an airball. When the rebound was deflected toward midcourt, time expired and the Clippers walked away with their seventh win in their last eight games.
Leonard managed his team-high point total despite missing all eight of his 3-point shots. He shot 10-for-17 on his two-point attempts, helping the Clippers convert 48.1% of their shots.
John Collins (18) and Dunn (16) also finished in double figures for Los Angeles, which overcame 20 turnovers that were converted into 27 Warriors points. Golden State committed just seven turnovers.
Curry shot just 4-for-15 on 3-pointers and Butler 1-for-4 during Golden State’s 24.4% effort from beyond the arc. Butler had a team-high six rebounds and four of the visitors’ 18 steals, but in the end, the Warriors couldn’t overcome 38% shooting overall and 31 misses in 41 3-point attempts.
Gary Payton II was a third Warrior scoring in double figures with 14 points, while Draymond Green had a game-high 12 assists to go with six points.
