LOS ANGELES – On one of the best stretches of an already accomplished career, Kawhi Leonard will lead the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers against the Boston Celtics on Saturday (Sunday morning, Singapore time) in Inglewood, California.
The Clippers have made Leonard the focal point of their offence, and the six-time All-Star has put the charge into the team’s six-game NBA winning streak. In just under two weeks, Los Angeles have delivered as many victories as they had in two months over the first 27 games.
The team’s run of success started with a 103-88 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec 20 that put a light on improved defence. Leonard scored 32 points in that game, went for a career-best 55 on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons and has averaged 39.0 points during the win streak.
In the Clippers’ 118-101 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Thursday, Leonard scored 20 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter when the game remained in doubt after going just one of three from the floor in the third.
He has thoroughly inspired his team and suddenly, the Clippers are as much about their scoring prowess as their improved defence.
“I’ve been like that since I came in,” Leonard said about taking charge when the need arises. “Once you start seeing (opportunities), you start attacking more and you start to be in focus. I was aggressive from day one.”
Over his first 17 games, surrounding a 10-game absence prompted by ankle and foot injuries, Leonard averaged 6.0 attempts from 3-point range. Over the past six games, he averaged 9.8 attempts from distance and converted 44.1% of them.
“Kawhi came through and bailed us out again,” Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said.
Next up will be Boston.
The Celtics enter the final game of a five-game post-Christmas road trip with a 3-1 mark that includes a 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and like Leonard, he is a key figure for his team. At the start of NBA play on Friday, Brown ranked sixth in the NBA with an average of 29.5 points per game.
His nine attempts from 3-point range on Thursday matched his second most in a game this season, but he made just one of those shots. He is shooting just 30.8% from distance over the past five games.
However, the Celtics can also depend on Derrick White, who took charge late, putting up 14 points in the fourth quarter and will be just as crucial against the Clippers should Brown not perform at his best.
“The biggest thing about (White) is that he doesn’t allow the misses to discourage him,” coach Joe Mazzulla said of White. “He continues to play defense, he continues to shoot, he continues to stay aggressive.”
The Celtics earned a 121-118 home victory over the Clippers on Nov. 16 to reach .500 at 7-7. Boston have gone 14-5 since. The Clippers were in the midst of a 2-14 stretch when they lost at Boston.
Meanwhile in NBA action on Friday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 30 points in 28 minutes as the Oklahoma City Thunder thumped the Golden State Warriors 131-94 in San Francisco.
The 37-point margin of victory was Oklahoma City’s second largest of the season. The drubbing was the Warriors’ worst of the 2025-26 campaign.
Elsewhere, Luka Doncic scored 34 points with eight assists and LeBron James added 31 points with nine rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers finished off a 128-121 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and threw down a game-winning alley-oop slam to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a thrilling 122-121 victory over the visiting Charlotte Hornets.
De’Aaron Fox led all scorers with 24 points as the San Antonio Spurs clinched a 123-113 win over the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. REUTERS
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