MEMPHIS, Tenn. — One night after one of the most painful collapses of their season, the Los Angeles Clippers found a way to right the ship.
Behind a dominant performance from Kawhi Leonard and a standout effort off the bench from Isaiah Jackson, the Clippers knocked off the Memphis Grizzlies 123-120 on Saturday night at FedExForum, improving their record to 31-32 on the season.
Memphis fell to 23-39 with the loss, dropping their third straight game.
Responding After San Antonio
The win meant everything given what had happened just 24 hours earlier. On Friday night, the Clippers squandered a 25-point third-quarter lead and lost 116-112 to the San Antonio Spurs in heartbreaking fashion.
The Spurs went on a 66-37 run over the final 21 minutes, stunning Los Angeles and leaving head coach Tyronn Lue with plenty to address before the next tip-off. With that sting still fresh, the Clippers came out on Saturday and got the job done on the road, showing the kind of resilience they will need if they want to hold onto a play-in spot in the West.
Kawhi Leads the Way
Kawhi Leonard, who is averaging 27.9 points per game this season, put together another strong performance with 28 points, five rebounds and two assists on the night. After going for 30 points in the Spurs loss, Leonard once again carried the load for Los Angeles and showed why he remains the engine that keeps this team moving.
Darius Garland returned from the injury report and was outstanding, finishing with 21 points, six assists and four rebounds to give the Clippers another reliable creator alongside Leonard.Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Derrick Jones Jr. chipped in 16 points on an efficient 7-for-8 from the floor.
Jordan Miller added 14 points as well, giving the Clippers six players in double figures on the night.
Isaiah Jackson Shines Off the Bench
Perhaps the most impressive contribution came from Isaiah Jackson, who delivered one of the best games of his season when the Clippers needed it most. Jackson finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench, giving Los Angeles a physical presence in the paint and bringing an energy that set the tone for the second half. His double-double was a reminder of the kind of impact he can have when given meaningful minutes, and it was a big reason the Clippers were able to hold on down the stretch against a Memphis squad that refused to go quietly.
Memphis Hangs Tough
The Grizzlies, playing without Ja Morant and several other key contributors, gave the Clippers everything they could handle throughout the night. Ty Jerome led Memphis with 23 points and seven assists, while Taylor Hendricks came off the bench to score 18 points on a very efficient 7-for-8 shooting. Cam Spencer added 12 points and four assists, and Cedric Coward chipped in 15 points, showing that Memphis has plenty of young talent even when the roster is depleted by injury.
Still, it was not enough to overcome a Clippers team that was more focused and more driven than they were the night before in San Antonio.
The Clippers now look ahead to their next matchup, hoping to build on this win and keep climbing back towards the playoff picture.
