KAWHI SPARKS CLIPS
Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and seven rebounds in his first game in 16 months, and the Los Angeles Clippers opened a season of sky-high expectations with a 103-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Paul George scored 15 points and John Wall added 15 in his debut for the Clippers, who held on down the stretch to beat their more pedigreed Los Angeles rivals for the eighth consecutive time.
Leonard came off the bench for the first time since 2013 and played 21 minutes in his first game since he tore a ligament in his right knee in a playoff game in June 2021. The two-time NBA Finals MVP decided to ease back in a temporary reserve role after missing all of last season while recovering from surgery.
The Clippers’ high hopes for their first championship rest largely on Leonard’s ability to return to elite form. They failed to get out of the play-in last spring without Leonard and with only 31 games from George, but both are healthy now alongside five-time All-Star Wall, who provided an immediate spark.
Clippers 103,
Anthony Davis scored 25 points despite apparently having reduced mobility after a mid-game fall, while LeBron James had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the 20th home opener of his career. Lonnie Walker scored 26 points. The Lakers dropped to 0-2, but still rallied from two large deficits and kept it close into the final minute despite nightmare shooting performances from Russell Westbrook (0 for 11) and fellow point guards Patrick Beverley (1 for 7) and Kendrick Nunn (0 for 7) in their Lakers home debuts. The Lakers went 9 for 45 on 3-pointers overall.
The oft-injured Davis gave fans a fright when he crashed to the floor after being undercut in the third quarter. He got up and went to the tunnel to stretch, but returned a few minutes later.
Bucks 90, 76ers 88: Wesley Matthews hit the goahead 3-pointer with 23.8 seconds left, and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead Milwaukee to a victory at Philadelphia.
Brook Lopez scored 17 points as the Bucks, who went 0-5 in the preseason, won their season opener after Matthews surprised the Sixers on the long 3. James Harden, who scored 31 and rallied the Sixers in the fourth, missed a jumper that could have won the game.
Notable
Cavaliers All-Star guard
Darius Garland did not sustain any structural damage to his left eye when he got hit during Cleveland’s seasonopening loss in Toronto.
Garland suffered a laceration inside his eyelid in the first quarter Wednesday night when Raptors guard
Gary Trent Jr. inadvertently poked him going for a steal.
The 22-year-old Garland left the team and was checked Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. The Cavs said he’ll be re-evaluated over the next two days before his status is updated.
• Pistons Assistant GM
Rob Murphy was put on leave due to an investigation, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. ESPN reported Murphy is facing an allegation of workplace misconduct involving a former female employee.