KAWHI NAILS WINNER
Kawhi Leonard couldn’t have drawn up a better return.
Clippers 119, Hornets 117
The five-time All-Star had 16 points, including an 18-foot jumper with 1.4 seconds to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 119-117 victory over the host Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in his return from a right ankle sprain.
“I don’t think anybody loves playing this game more than me,” Leonard said. “It gives me joy when I’m able to play. And it was great that I was able to make that shot.”
Paul George also came back from a strained hamstring to score 19 points along with seven assists, helping the Clippers snap a two-game losing streak. Reggie Jackson and Nic Batum each had 13 points, and John Wall added 12 points and 12 assists.
Luke Kennard added nine points off the bench in his first game back from an injury as well.
Charlotte’s Kelly Oubre scored 28 points and P.J. Washington added 26 after going 0 for 13 on Saturday night. Washington missed a jumper as time expired that would have tied the game.
Getting Leonard, George and Kennard back should provide a huge boost for the Clippers (14-11). Leonard has been out since Nov. 21, George since Nov. 19 and Kennard since Nov. 15 with a calf strain.
George said it’s “super important” getting everyone healthy again, and that it felt like the start of a new season.
“This is really a great opportunity to kind of get back on track,“George said. “We were playing well when we were healthy and now we can start building toward the team we were trying to be.”
Mavericks 130, Suns 111: Luka Doncic scored 33 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 21 and Dallas preserved a big lead against visiting Phoenix. The Mavericks ended a 10-game regular-season losing streak
against the Western Conference-leading Suns.
Grizzlies 101, Heat 93: Tyus Jones had a careerhigh 28 points and 10 assists to lead host Memphis past Miami.
Santi Aldama added 18 points and Dillon Brooks finished with 17 for Memphis, which played without leading scorer Ja Morant.
Celtics 116, Raptors 110: Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Jaylen Brown scored 22 points and visiting Boston won for the seventh time in eight games. Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart scored 18 points for Boston.
Bucks 109, Magic 102: Giannis
Antetokounmpo scored five of his 34 points in the final two minutes to help visiting Milwaukee hold off a late Orlando rally. Bobby Portis added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks.
Thunder 121, Hawks 114: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Josh Giddey had 12 of his 17 points in the final period, and Oklahoma City overcame a 14point deficit in the third quarter to win at Atlanta.
Dejounte Murray finished with 24 points and Trae Young had 23 points and 10 assists for the Hawks.
Rockets 132, 76ers 123 (2OT): Jalen Green scored 27 points and Kevin Porter
Jr. added 24 to lead host Houston over Philadelphia. James Harden had 21 points, but shot 4-for-19 from the field in his first game since Nov. 2.
Pacers 112, Warriors 104: Rookie Andrew Nembhard scored a season-high 31 points and added 13 assists and eight rebounds to lead undermanned Indiana to a road victory over Golden State.
Klay Thompson scored 28 points and made eight 3pointers on the six-year anniversary of his 60-point masterpiece against the Pacers. Stephen Curry was held to 12 points on 3-for-17 shooting.