Leonard drops a career-high 55 points
James Harden adds 28 in support
Clippers beat Pistons 112-99 for a fourth straight win
Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 55 points, James Harden added 28 and the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games with a 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.
Leonard went 17 of 26 from the floor, including 5 for 10 from 3-point range, and made 16 of 17 free throws, with his only blemish of the game a missed free throw in the third quarter that ended his run of 64 straight from the line, all this month. He scored 26 points in the third quarter.
Nicolas Batum scored 12 points, while Leonard added 11 rebounds and five steals for Los Angeles, which lost 10 of 11 games before its four-game run.
The veteran Clippers took things to the extreme with three starters in Harden, Batum and Brook Lopez, age 36 or over. All five starters were in their 30s, with Kris Dunn (31) and Leonard (34).
Cade Cunningham finished with 27 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons after being held scoreless in the first half while in foul trouble. Jalen Duren had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Jaden Ivey added 11 points for Detroit, which lost back-to-back games for just the second time.
Barnes’ huge triple-double powers Raptors
Scottie Barnes scored 23 points, matched a Raptors franchise record with a career-high 25 rebounds and added 10 assists for his seventh career triple-double as Toronto beat the Golden State Warriors 141-127 in overtime.
Immanuel Quickley scored 27 points, Brandon Ingram had 26 and Ja’Kobe Walter added a season-high 18 for the Raptors, who snapped a five-game home losing streak.
Stephen Curry scored 14 of his 39 points in the third quarter but didn’t score in overtime. Draymond Green had 21 and Jimmy Butler added 19, but it wasn’t enough for the Warriors.
Barnes matched Bismack Biyombo’s 2016 franchise record for rebounds in a game and notched his first triple-double of the season.
Raptors forward RJ Barrett returned from a 15-game absence to score 12 points in 24 minutes.
Doncic leads Lakers past Kings
Luka Doncic scored 34 points, LeBron James had 24, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped their three-game losing streak with a 125-101 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Nick Smith Jr. had 21 off the bench for the Lakers, who had dropped four of six and all by at least 13 points, including a 23-point demolition at the hands of Houston on Christmas Day in their previous game.
DeMar DeRozan had 22 for the Kings, who have won consecutive games just once this season. Maxime Raynaud finished with 16, as Sacramento had six players in double figures.
