INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Los Angeles Clippers sent a reminder to the rest of the Western Conference on Monday night, rolling over the Milwaukee Bucks 129-96 at the Intuit Dome behind a dominant team effort that had the game out of reach before the fourth quarter even started.
Kawhi Leonard led the way with 28 points on 8-of-18 shooting in just 25 minutes, extending his franchise record with his 48th straight game scoring at least 20 points while also setting a new career high with 149 made three-pointers in a single season.
He didn't even need to play in the fourth quarter, which tells you everything about how this game went.
Brook Lopez added 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and went 5-of-6 from beyond the arc against his former team, while Darius Garland chipped in 15 points and six assists as the Clippers improved to 36-36 with 10 games left in the regular season.
Leonard Took Over After a Slow Start
Leonard looked sluggish early, missing six of his first seven shots and all four of his opening three-point attempts.
But once he found his rhythm midway through the second quarter, there was no slowing him down.
He scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half alone, also knocking down all nine of his free throws and adding five rebounds, three assists and three steals for good measure.
He looked every bit like the two-time Finals MVP who has been carrying this team on his back all season long, and his ability to flip the switch so quickly is a big reason the Clippers are still alive in the play-in race after starting the year 6-21.
The Bench Set the Tone
What made this win even more impressive was the work the Clippers got from their reserves, especially with Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins both sidelined.
Kobe Sanders scored 19 points off the bench and helped keep the Clippers afloat during the stretches when Leonard was resting, pouring in 11 of those points in the first half to help build a 24-point lead before the break.
Jordan Miller also made his presence felt with 10 points and four assists, and the depth of this roster showed up in a way that has become more and more common over the past few months.
The Clippers shot 58 percent from the field, knocked down 17 of their 38 three-point attempts, and went a perfect 18-for-18 from the free-throw line, which is the kind of well-rounded performance that wins games by 33 points.
Lue Likes What He Sees, But Stays Measured
Head coach Tyronn Lue talked about the team's recent three-point shooting surge after the win but was careful not to get too carried away, pointing out that the Clippers need to stay true to their identity rather than falling in love with the long ball.
"If teams are going to double-team Kawhi, then we should get open 3's or if teams going to double-team Brook," Lue said. "We know how we should play. Things like that. It's got to be more out of how we play than the style of play. I don't think we can just come down to just jack 3's. I don't think we're that type of team. Not right now."
The Bucks, who have now lost 10 of their last 14 games and dropped to 29-42 on the season, came in without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a hyperextended left knee and never had a chance.
Gary Trent Jr. led Milwaukee with 20 points off the bench, but the Clippers forced 23 turnovers and led by as many as 46 in the third quarter, making this one a wrap early.
With the Clippers sitting in eighth place in the West and Portland just a half-game behind them, every win matters from here on out, and Monday night was the kind of complete effort they needed heading into a stretch with seven of their final 11 games at home.
