Kawhi Leonard Leads Clippers to Victory Over Suns Without James Harden
PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Clippers secured a commanding 117-93 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night, led by Kawhi Leonard, who scored 25 points. The win came as the Clippers played without James Harden, who was absent for personal reasons.
Leonard not only contributed offensively but also grabbed eight rebounds, marking his 27th consecutive game with at least 20 points. Ivica Zubac had a notable performance as well, collecting 20 rebounds. The Clippers effectively dominated the paint, outscoring the Suns 64-18 and winning the rebounding battle 63-35. This victory marked a strong bounce back from a previous loss to Denver.
In addition to Leonard and Zubac, Jordan Miller contributed 20 points, while John Collins added 16, Zubac scored 14, and Kobe Sanders, who filled in for Harden, finished with 12 points. The team shot 51.8% from the field throughout the game.
The Clippers have shown significant improvement since a challenging start to the season, winning 17 of their last 21 games and moving within two games of .500. The Suns, who entered the matchup after three consecutive wins, now stand at 15-7 since December 21.
Grayson Allen led the Suns with 23 points and eight assists, with Dillon Brooks adding 22 points. However, Phoenix struggled offensively, shooting only 33.3% from the field and failing to reach 100 points for just the sixth time in 50 games this season. Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin each contributed 12 points.
In this game, the Suns were missing key players, including Devin Booker, who is sidelined with a right ankle sprain, and Jalen Green, who is dealing with a right hamstring issue and a left hip problem. Booker had been announced as a reserve for his fifth All-Star Game earlier that same day.
With this win, the season series between the two teams concludes with each team claiming two victories. The Clippers are set to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at the Intuit Dome.
