INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points and James Harden added 32 to move into ninth place on the NBA’s scoring list, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Charlotte Hornets 117-109 on Monday night for their fourth win in five games.
Jordan Miller added 14 points and Ivica Zubac had nine points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers.
LaMelo Ball scored 25 and had nine rebounds to lead the Hornets to their third loss in four games. Kon Knueppel scored 18 points, Moussa Diabaté had 13 points and 15 rebounds, Brandon Miller also scored 13 and Miles Bridges 11.
Harden, who began the night 14 points behind Shaquille O’Neal’s 28,596 for ninth place, scored 13 in the first half and then went ahead with a 3-pointer early in the third quarter.
After Tre Mann’s 3-pointer gave Charlotte a 100-99 lead with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter, Harden scored eight points during a 15-1 run that gave Los Angeles a 13-point lead 4:02 minutes later.
The Hornets responded with six straight points to pull within 114-107 with 1:22 left, but that was as close as they got.
Leonard scored 20 points with five 3-pointers in the third quarter for the Clippers. Harden made two free throws and a layup, and Leonard hit a 3-pointer for a 73-64 lead. Ball scored seven straight as Charlotte pulled within one with 2:21 left in the quarter and took the lead twice before a Miller layup just before the end of the quarter gave Los Angeles an 86-84 lead entering the fourth.
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