SACRAMENTO, Calif. The Los Angeles Clippers needed this one, and they played like it from the opening tip.
Los Angeles came into Golden 1 Center on Sunday and took apart the Sacramento Kings 138-109, moving into eighth place in the Western Conference standings with a 40-38 record.
The Clippers now hold the same record as the Portland Trail Blazers but own the tiebreaker by winning two of the three games between the two teams this season.
That matters a lot with only four games left on the schedule.
Kawhi and Garland Set the Table
Kawhi Leonard led the way with 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting, going 5-for-5 from the free throw line and adding six rebounds and three assists, extending his franchise-record streak of consecutive 20-point games to 54.
He is averaging 28.0 points and 6.3 rebounds on 50.5 percent shooting this season, and he has been the driving force behind a Clippers team that dug itself out of a 6-21 hole earlier this year.
"I think the biggest thing is a healthy Kawhi, that's one," Ty Lue said recently about the team's turnaround. "And just the guys we got in the locker room."
Darius Garland added 17 points and continued to show why the Harden trade in February was the right move for this franchise.
Since arriving from Cleveland, Garland has been averaging 19.1 points and 6.9 assists per game, and his ability to run the pick-and-roll alongside Kawhi has opened up the floor in ways the Clippers badly needed.
The Bench Changes Everything
The real story on Sunday was the second unit, which combined for 67 bench points and completely buried Sacramento in the second half.
John Collins led the charge with 25 points off the bench on 9-of-20 shooting and 4-of-6 from three, after starting the previous nine games before being moved back to a reserve role.
Collins embraced that role change and played with energy from the moment he checked in.
"His voice just makes a difference for this whole team," Garland said about Collins.
Kobe Sanders chipped in 17 points with four steals while Kris Dunn had 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in his first start in eight games.
Jordan Miller went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 13 points and six assists, and the whole bench group played with a pace and toughness that set the tone.
What Collins Off the Bench Means Going Forward
The move to bring Collins off the bench is something to watch because it gives the Clippers a genuine scoring punch in their second unit that they have been missing all season, especially with Isaiah Jackson still out with a high ankle sprain.
Collins is shooting 42.3 percent from three this year and his ability to stretch the floor while playing with energy on the boards gives Lue something he can trust when Kawhi sits.
The Clippers opened with a 42-point first quarter, led 71-59 at the half after shooting 56.5 percent, and took their first 20-point lead with 7:53 left in the third.
They went into the fourth up 107-79 and Sacramento was never a threat from that point on.
"Just about our guys in the locker room, just staying with it," Lue said after a recent win. "Continue to fight, continue to compete."
The Clippers now turn their attention to a Tuesday matchup against Dallas at home, followed by Oklahoma City on Wednesday and a trip to Portland on Friday that could be massive for play-in positioning.