TORONTO — Even without Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers remained on a roll.
James Harden had 31 points and 10 assists, Jordan Miller added 19 points and six assists and the Kawhi-less Clippers extended their winning streak to five games by beating the Toronto Raptors, 121-117 in overtime, on Friday night.
Ivica Zubac had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Cam Christie scored 16 points and Kris Dunn had 15 as the Clippers won for the 12th time in 14 games since starting the season 6-21.
Leonard missed his team’s lone regular-season visit to Toronto because of a sprained right ankle. Leonard, who has been averaging more than 30 points per game during the Clippers’ turnaround, won the 2019 NBA championship with the Raptors.
Toronto led 109-101 with 3:35 remaining in regulation, but missed six straight shots as Harden forced overtime with a personal 8-0 run. Six consecutive points by Harden cut the lead to two with 1:53 to play. Harden’s blocked shot gave the Clippers another possession and he converted two free throws to tie the score at 109 with 1:24 left.
Harden missed the final shot of regulation to force overtime.
Harden made four straight free throws to open overtime and give the Clippers the lead. Toronto’s Scottie Barnes responded with a jumper before Miller came back with a 3-pointer with 3:06 left in overtime to give the Clippers a five-point lead.
Barnes cut the lead to one with a layup with 55 seconds left, before Harden answered with an 11-foot jumper. Sanders made one of two free throws with seven seconds left to account for the final margin. The Clippers finished the game on a 20-8 surge.
Harden shot 10 for 27 from the field and finished 2 for 15 from 3-point range, but he went 9 for 10 at the free-throw line to lead the Clippers’ 26-for-30 effort at the foul line.
Barnes scored 24 points and Brandon Ingram had 19 to lead the Raptors, who lost for just the second time in 21 games when leading after three quarters. Toronto’s Jamal Shead had 15 points and a career-high 13 assists. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick each scored 15 points and Sandro Mamukelashvili had 13.
Toronto hustled to a 14-point advantage before settling for a 32-24 lead after one quarter.
The Raptors’ fast-break offense slowed a bit in the second quarter and Dunn’s 3-pointer cut the lead to five with 6:21 to play. Toronto led 61-52 at halftime.
The Clippers took their first lead at 64-63 when Sanders made two free throws with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter. Toronto rallied to lead by 10 points on Dick’s running layup with 1:22 to play in the third following A.J. Lawson’s steal. The Raptors led 89-78 after three quarters.
The Clippers scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 89-all. Toronto pulled ahead by eight on Murray-Boyles’ layup with 3:35 to play in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for Harden’s late heroics.
Zubac returned after sitting out Wednesday’s home win over Washington because of a sprained left ankle. Forward John Collins listed as available, but Coach Tyronn Lue said he was held out as a precaution with a soft tissue injury.
Toronto’s Immanuel Quickley (back spasms) missed his second straight game, while RJ Barrett (left ankle) missed his fourth straight.
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The Clippers play at Washington on Monday at noon PT.