INGLEWOOD — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr had a one-word strategy on how to slow Clippers star Kawhi Leonard.
“Pray,” he said.
His concern coming into Monday night’s game stemmed from Leonard’s recent play. The six-time All-Star had averaged 39 points during the Clippers’ recent six-game winning streak, before posting 22 in their streak-snapping loss to the Boston Celtics over the weekend.
“He’s a brilliant player. It’s good to see him healthy and playing at a really high level,” Kerr said before the game.
While Leonard didn’t perform at the elite level he did during the win streak, the two-time NBA Finals MVP still scored 24 points despite some shooting struggles and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Clippers held on for a 103-102 victory over the Warriors at the Intuit Dome.
Warriors superstar Steph Curry buried back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the Warriors within one 101-100 with 1:05 left. Kris Dunn gave the Clippers a three-point cushion with two free throws after Curry fouled out, then Draymond Green cut the margin to 103-102 on a driving layup with 32.6 seconds left.
Leonard (0 for 8 from 3-point range) missed a 3-point shot with less than 10 seconds left, but the Warriors’ Jimmy Butler lofted a 16-foot fadeaway shot that fell short and the Clippers held on for their seventh victory in the past eight games.
Four other Clippers scored in double figures, including rookie Kobe Sanders, who started in place of James Harden (shoulder soreness). Sanders scored a career-high 20 points in 36 minutes, while John Collins added 18. Dunn had 16 points, three rebounds and six assists and Ivica Zubac had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Curry was hampered by foul trouble throughout, picking up his fourth in a close call under the basket and Kerr’s ire got the best of him. The coach charged the referee and was ejected with 7:37 left in the game.
Curry picked up his fifth less than two minutes later, then fouled out with 43 seconds left, finishing with a game-high 27 points, four rebounds and six assists.
The Warriors overcame a sluggish start and pulled to within 68-62 late in the third quarter on three foul shots by Curry. A 3-pointer by Sanders put the Clippers ahead 71-62 and on their way to a 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Warriors are having somewhat of a down season so far, sitting eighth in the Western Conference. The Clippers, though, weren’t taking chances and jumped out to a quick lead. They led by 13 shortly into the second quarter before Golden State cut the margin to 55-51 by halftime.
And that was without Harden.
Harden experienced soreness in his right shoulder a day earlier and it intensified during the morning shootaround, according to team officials. The 12-time All-Star was ruled out two hours before tipoff, creating another hole in the Clippers’ starting lineup.
Having already lost Bradley Beal to a season-ending injury, Zubac was sidelined for two weeks with an ankle injury before rejoining the team and coming off the bench against the Celtics. He was back in his starting role Monday.
But just when Zubac came back, forward Derrick Jones Jr. suffered a knee injury against the Celtics and is expected to miss six weeks. Now, Harden is nursing a shoulder issue with no timetable given for his return.
Lue decided to Sanders to start in Harden’s place, a big ask of a rookie.
“He’s pretty good,” Lue said of Sanders. “He’s guarding some great players and so you just can’t get discouraged by tough shots, things like that. But he has to take that next (defensive) step, especially with DJ being out now.”
The Clippers didn’t let their depleted roster affect them. They dominated early despite six turnovers in the first quarter to take a 31-19 lead. But as their miscues increased, so did the Warriors’ intensity.
Golden State struggled to find the basket and shot 26.9% from the field and made just 2 of 13 3-pointers (15.4%) in the opening quarter. But then Curry got going.
After a slow first quarter, Curry made a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter to get the Warriors back into the game before halftime.
The Clippers had 12 turnovers in the first half and 20 for the game.
More to come on this story.