Clippers Strengthen Play-in Spot Chances With Rout Of Bucks

Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points successful 25 minutes and the Clippers pummeled nan Milwaukee Bucks 129-96 connected Monday night.

Brook Lopez added 19 points, Darius Garland had 15 points and six assists, and nan Clippers won consecutive games aft 4 consecutive losses. They made each 18 of their free throws and got backmost to .500 pinch 10 games remaining successful nan regular play aft having a 6-21 grounds connected Dec. 18.

Gary Trent Jr. paced nan Bucks pinch 20 points disconnected nan bench. Ryan Rollins led their starters pinch 13, and Milwaukee had 5 players successful double figures. The Bucks person mislaid 10 of their past 14 games, including 3 of 4 since sitting superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo because of a near knee injury.

The Clippers dominated nan three-point statement astatine some ends of nan court, making 17 of 38 shots from agelong scope (45%) while frustrating nan Bucks earlier they utilized a meaningless fourth-quarter flurry to decorativeness astatine 39% (16 for 41). That included nan Clippers sinking 11 of 22 attempts successful nan first half, including a 7-for-12 agelong to thief substance a 43-point 2nd quarter.

Brook Lopez looks to walk against Bucks guardant Bobby Portis successful nan 2nd half.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

The onslaught continued into nan 2nd half arsenic nan Clippers went up by 46. Even nan 7-foot-1 Lopez sewage successful connected nan fun, shooting 4 of 5 connected threes successful nan 3rd quarter.

Leonard, who sat retired nan 4th quarter, shook disconnected a sluggish commencement to spell 8 for 18 from nan section and make 9 foul shots. He had 16 points successful nan 2nd quarter.

In his 14th NBA season, Leonard is averaging a career-high 28.3 points per game, helping push nan Clippers backmost to an all-but-certain spot successful nan play-in tourney pursuing their miserable start.