NBA ROUNDUP
Clippers sign Leonard to contract extension
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Clippers have signed two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to a contract extension, the team said Wednesday.
The team did not reveal the worth or length of the deal.
Leonard was in the third year of a four-year deal he signed in 2021 that calls for him to earn a base salary of $45,640,084 this season. He had a player option for next season at $48,787,676.
Leonard is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season. The 32year-old has been in good health, playing in 32 of 36 games so far. He recently returned after
missing four games with a hip injury.
Wednesday’s games
Celtics 127, Timberwolves 120: Jayson Tatum scored 45 points – 14 of them in the fourth quarter and another 12 in overtime – as the host Celtics won in a matchup of the two conference leaders Wednesday night to remain perfect at home. Jaylen Brown had 35 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who are 18-0 at home for the first time in franchise history. Jrue Holiday scored 12, including a corner 3-pointer off an offensive rebound by Derrick White to cap a 14-3 run that gave Boston a 111-109 lead with 26 seconds left in regulation. Anthony Edwards had 29 points and Karl Anthony-Towns scored 25 with 13 rebounds for Minnesota (26-11), which has the best record in the Western Conference and trails only Boston (29-8) overall.
Thunder 128, Heat 120: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points, Chet Holmgren added 23 and visiting Oklahoma City used two big second-half runs to beat Miami. Jalen Williams finished with 19 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, and Lu Dort scored 14 points and Isaiah Joe added 11. Oklahoma City beat Miami for the second time in the last 10 meetings. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 21 points and Haywood Highsmith had a career-best 19.
Kings 123, Hornets 98: Keegan Murray scored 25 points, Domantas Sabonis had 24 points and 10 rebounds and visiting Sacramento won its second straight. Former Hornets first-rounder Malik Monk added 20 points for Sacramento. De’Aaron Fox scored 19 points, and Sabonis also had seven assists. Miles Bridges (Michigan State) led the Hornets with 24 points. Terry Rozier added 22, Brandon Miller had 15 and Nick Smith, Jr. 11.
Pacers 112, Wizards 104: Myles Turner had 18 points and 13 rebounds and host Indiana overcame star guard Tyrese Haliburton’s absence for its eight win in nine games. Bruce Brown and Bennedict Mathurin each added 16 points for the Pacers. Obi Toppin added 15 points, and Brown also had nine rebounds and six assists. Jordan Poole (Michigan) led Washington with 28 points. Corey Kispert had 15 points, all in the first half. Deni Avdija also had 15 in the Wizards’ sixth straight loss.