Clippers slip past Lakers in opener

LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard began a new chapter with the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 30 points to go with a strong bench effort in a 112-102 victory over LeBron James and the Lakers on Tuesday night in the season opener.

Lou Williams added 21 points, and Montrezl Harrell had 17 off the bench when the Clippers opened their 50th season and 36th in Los Angeles as the once unlikely but now favorites to win the franchise’s first NBA championship.

The Lakers showed off their new 1-2 punch of James and Anthony Davis. Davis scored 25 points, making nine of 14 free throws, and James had 18. Danny Green outscored them both with 28 points.

But Leonard got it done without his personal recruit Paul George, out indefinitely while rehabbing from a pair of offseason shoulder surgeries.

RAPTORS 130 PELICANS 122

Fred Van-Vleet scored a career-high 34 points, Pascal Siakam fouled out with 34 points and 18 rebounds, and defending champion Toronto beat visiting New Orleans in overtime in the NBA’s season-opening game.

Brandon Ingram scored 22 points, and Josh Hart had 15 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, which began the season without No. 1 pick Zion Williamson, who is expected to miss at least six weeks after right knee surgery Monday.

GRIFFIN TO MISS TIME

The Detroit Pistons will begin the season without star forward Blake Griffin, whose injury issues have flared up again. The Pistons said Griffin would not travel for Wednesday night’s game at Indiana and would continue a treatment and conditioning regimen for left hamstring and posterior knee soreness. He will be reevaluated for a return the first week of November.