LOS ANGELES. – Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 43 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers pounded the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 128-103 on Tuesday night.
Clippers forward Paul George missed his third consecutive game with a strained left hamstring, but Leonard more than made up for his absence. Leonard connected on 14 of 22 shots from the floor and 6 of 10 3-pointers in 29 minutes.
Leonard, who scored at least 30 points for the third straight contest, topped his previous high of 42 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 13. He fell two points shy of his career-high, which he recorded last season with the Toronto Raptors against the Utah Jazz.
Lou Williams had 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting, and Ivica Zubac added 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for Los Angeles. Patrick Beverley contributed 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, while Landry Shamet and Montrezl Harrell chipped in 12 points apiece.
In other games, it was Milwaukee 128, New York 102; Utah 118, Brooklyn 107; Memphis 121, Houston 110; Dallas 124, Golden State 97; and Atlanta 123, Phoenix 110.
Bucks 128, Knicks 102
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points in just 21 minutes night for the host Milwaukee Bucks, who concluded their season-long dominance of the New York Knicks by cruising to victory.
The Bucks swept the three-game season series from the Knicks and never trailed in outscoring New York by total of 91 points (383-292). The Bucks have won four in a row overall and nine of 10 while the Knicks have lost six of seven.
Antetokounmpo, who also had nine rebounds and four assists, is just the second player this season to score at least 30 points while playing fewer than 22 minutes. Paul George had 37 points in 20 minutes for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 16.
Khris Middleton scored 17 points while Ersan Ilyasova had 14 points off the bench for the Bucks. Julius Randle (25 points, 15 rebounds) had a double-double for the Knicks. RJ Barrett scored 22 points, and Bobby Portis had 20 points.
Jazz 118, Nets 107
Joe Ingles tied a career-high with 27 points as Utah pushed its winning streak to a season-high 10 games in a victory over Brooklyn in New York.
Ingles hit 10 of 14 shots and made 6 of 8 3-point attempts. He tied a career high for field goals and nearly matched a career best for 3-pointers. Donovan Mitchell scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter after sitting out Sunday’s game in Washington due to an illness. Mitchell shot 8-for-19 and scored 14 of Utah’s final 16 points. — Reuters
