The Los Angeles Clippers turned a sluggish start into a statement finish, storming back from 17 points down to defeat the Golden State Warriors, 114-101, at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday night.
At the center of the rally was Kawhi Leonard, who poured in a game-high 23 points in just 29 minutes. Efficient and composed, Leonard shot 9-of-14 from the field while adding eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals, orchestrating a comeback that reshaped the Western Conference race.
Golden State appeared in control early. Brandin Podziemski ignited the home crowd with 20 of his 22 points in the first half, powering the Warriors to a commanding 44-27 advantage. An Al Horford layup early in the third quarter pushed the margin back to 16, seemingly keeping momentum on Golden State’s side.
But that was the turning point.
Behind Leonard’s steady scoring and a spark off the bench from Darius Garland, the Clippers flipped the tempo. Garland, making his Clippers debut, delivered 12 points and injected pace into the offense. Los Angeles closed the third quarter on a 35-21 run, trimming the deficit to just 79-77 heading into the final frame.
The decisive blow came early in the fourth. Garland drained an 11-foot jumper to give the Clippers their first lead of the second half at 82-81 — a lead they would not surrender. From there, Los Angeles leaned on its depth and defensive pressure, gradually pulling away from a short-handed Warriors squad.
Kris Dunn provided a crucial two-way presence with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and a game-high seven assists. Bennedict Mathurin added 17 points off the bench, while Jordan Miller chipped in 12. Yanic Konan Niederhauser anchored the glass with nine rebounds to go along with 11 points.
The Clippers’ second unit proved decisive, outscoring Golden State’s bench 52-41 — a disparity that underscored the visitors’ advantage in depth and stamina on the second night of a back-to-back.
For the Warriors, Nate Williams led the reserves with 18 points, while Horford finished with 17 and Moses Moody added 10. Gui Santos grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Still, Golden State was undermanned, missing Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis, Gary Payton II, and Will Richard, with two G League call-ups rounding out a limited rotation.
The victory pulls the Clippers within 1.5 games of the Warriors in their battle for eighth place in the Western Conference and gives Los Angeles a 2-1 edge in the season series with one matchup left.
From a 17-point hole to a double-digit win, the Clippers didn’t just rally — they made a statement.
