Clippers rally from 17 down, spoil Warriors’ night 114-101 in Garland’s debut
Arash Markazi
Host · Writer
Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points with eight rebounds and four assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers erased a 17-point deficit to beat the short-handed Golden State Warriors 114-101 on Monday night.
The Clippers trailed by as many as 17 in the first half and were down 79-77 entering the fourth quarter before taking control with a 9-4 run to open the final period. Los Angeles outscored Golden State 37-22 in the fourth to complete the comeback and strengthen its playoff positioning in a crowded Western Conference race.
Darius Garland added 12 points in his Clippers debut, coming off the bench in his first game since being acquired from Cleveland at last month’s trade deadline in a deal that sent James Harden to the Cavaliers. Garland, who had been sidelined with a toe injury, played nearly 23 minutes and knocked down a key 3-pointer with 3:09 left in the third quarter to pull Los Angeles within 75-68.
“I wasn’t expecting to get blitzed after a month off,” Garland said. “But after the first trey ball I made, I was like, ‘OK, I think I knocked the cobwebs off a little bit.’ It’s good being out there with the guys for sure, especially getting a win, my first win with the Clips.”
Garland briefly went down late in the second quarter after colliding with Moses Moody while chasing a loose ball. Moody’s shoulder appeared to catch Garland in the face, but both players remained in the game.
Kris Dunn finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, igniting the Clippers defensively in the second half. After Garland’s 3-pointer trimmed the deficit to seven, Dunn followed with a steal and layup to make it a five-point game. Los Angeles steadily chipped away before seizing control in the fourth.
“Coming from a back-to-back, we came out a little sluggish in the first half,” Dunn said. “But nobody bowed their heads down. It was all about our energy and our effort. Once we applied that to the game, we came out with the victory.”
Leonard stayed patient against Golden State’s shifting coverages and trusted his teammates as the Clippers attacked the paint and got to the free-throw line.
“If they’re going to keep giving my teammates open shots, we’re going to knock them down,” Leonard said. “Every game is different. If we’re able to play the right way, good things will happen for us.”
Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 22 points, scoring 20 in the first half. He hit eight of his first 12 shots, including three 3-pointers, but managed just two points after halftime. Al Horford added 17 for Golden State, which has lost five of seven and nine of its last 14.
The Warriors were without Stephen Curry for an 11th straight game because of a right knee injury. Kristaps Porzingis missed his fifth consecutive contest with what coach Steve Kerr called a “mysterious” illness, and rookie Will Richard was sidelined in a walking boot with a sprained ankle.
“They were great in the second half,” Kerr said of the Clippers. “We played a fantastic first half. Our defense was excellent. But the game slowed down in the third quarter, and we had to play in the half-court. They were really good defensively, and we just couldn’t get anything to go.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue praised Garland’s versatility and the team’s second-half response.
“It’s going to take some time to get our rotations and who plays well with who,” Lue said. “But tonight was a good start. I was very happy how the guys took the challenge in the second half to be better.”
Los Angeles shot just 9 of 31 from 3-point range but made up for it with defense, transition baskets, and timely free throws — enough to turn a 17-point hole into a convincing road victory.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
