Leonard scores 35 points as Clippers rally past Lakers
Kawhi Leonard scored 11 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and had 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111106 at Staples Center on Wednesday night in the NBA’s marquee Christmas game.
Montrezl Harrell had 18 points off the bench, Paul George added 17, and the Clippers improved to 2-0 against the Lakers this season.
Kyle Kuzma led Los Angeles with 25 points. LeBron James had 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and Anthony David had 24 points. The Lakers have lost four straight games.
Los Angeles had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but video review showed James touched the ball last after Patrick Beverly knocked it away as James went up for a 3. George hit two free throws for the fi- nal margin.
Lou Williams made two free throws — after a questionable foul call against Davis for tapping the swingman after his transition la- yup rimmed out — to give the Clippers a 105-103 lead with 3:29
Leonard, who had a 3 to cap a 7-0 run and tie it at 101 with 5:14 remaining, then made four late free throws.
James played in 14th Christmas Day game, second in NBA history to Kobe Bryant at 16.
EMBIID STARS AS 76ERS BEAT BUCKS 121-109 >> Joel Embiid outplayed Giannis Antetokounmpo in Philadelphia’s first home Christmas game in 31 years, collecting 31 points and 11 rebounds to help the 3-point happy 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-109.
Tobias Harris sank five 3s, Josh Richardson and Furkan Korkmaz each had four and even Embiid hit three as part of Philly’s season-high 21 3s (on 44 attempts) against a Bucks team that had the best record in the NBA.
The Sixers took the biggest halftime lead (21 points) against the Bucks under coach Mike Budenholzer.
Khris Middleton scored 31 points for Milwaukee, and Antetokounmpo had 18 points and 14 rebounds. Antetokounmpo got flustered over a perceived missed call and was whistled for a technical in the fourth.
BROWN SCORES 30, CELTICS SNAP DROUGHT IN TORONTO >> Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Kemba Walker had 22, and the Boston Celtics beat the Toronto Raptors 118-102 in the first Christmas Day NBA game played in Canada. Enes Kanter had 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Celtics snapped an eight-game losing streak north of the border and became the first Atlantic Division opponent to win in Toronto in more than four years.
Fred VanVleet scored 27 points in the Raptors’ second straight loss, and Chris Boucher had a career-high 24.