The Los Angeles Clippers opened their four-game road trip with a gritty 114-111 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, and they did it without two key pieces - James Harden, who was just traded to Cleveland, and Ivica Zubac, who remains sidelined. But if this team has shown us anything lately, it’s that they’re built to weather storms. And once again, they leaned on their steadying force: Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard, Still That Guy
Let’s start with the obvious. Kawhi Leonard was the best player on the floor - and it wasn’t particularly close.
He dropped 31 points on 9-of-19 shooting, knocked down all 12 of his free throws, and added nine rebounds, seven assists, and two steals for good measure. This wasn’t just a scoring performance - it was Kawhi in full command, orchestrating the offense while anchoring the defense.
With Harden out of the picture and Darius Garland nursing a toe injury, Leonard took on even more of the playmaking load. The result?
A Clippers team that shot over 52% from the field and moved the ball with purpose. Leonard’s seven assists weren’t just numbers - they were timely, smart passes that kept the offense humming.
And defensively? Leonard continues to be a menace.
He currently leads the league in steals per game, and his presence helped limit the Kings to just 27% shooting from beyond the arc. That’s the kind of two-way impact that makes him one of the most complete players in the game.
Balanced Attack from the Starting Five
While Kawhi was the headliner, the rest of the starting unit made sure this wasn’t a one-man show. All five starters hit double figures - exactly what the Clippers need in this new post-Harden chapter.
John Collins stepped up as the secondary scorer, finishing with 22 points on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting night. He also pulled down seven rebounds and blocked two shots, continuing a strong run of form that’s seen him shooting north of 60% over his recent stretch.
Brook Lopez brought his usual blend of interior toughness and floor spacing, adding 15 points, nine boards, and three blocks. Kris Dunn chipped in with 15 points and five assists, while Derrick Jones Jr. rounded out the group with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
That kind of balance - where everyone contributes, and no one needs to force the issue - is what’s been driving this Clippers resurgence.
From 6-21 to 18-6: A Turnaround for the Ages
It wasn’t that long ago that the Clippers were sitting at 6-21, looking like a team headed nowhere fast. But since then?
They’ve rattled off 18 wins in their last 24 games - the best record in the league over that span. That’s not just impressive.
That’s historic.
In fact, this 24-game stretch is the best in NBA history for any team that was once 15+ games below .500. That’s not hyperbole - that’s just what the numbers say.
Even with recent losses to the Sixers and Cavs, this win in Sacramento showed that the Clippers still have plenty of fight. They’re defending, they’re sharing the ball, and they’ve got a superstar in Leonard who’s playing some of the best basketball of his career - averaging a career-high 27.6 points per game while doing everything else at an elite level.
What’s Next?
The Clippers now sit at 24-27, and while the hole they dug early in the season was deep, they’re climbing out of it one possession at a time. Friday’s win wasn’t pretty - Sacramento made them work for it - but it was another example of what this team is becoming: resilient, connected, and dangerous.
The road trip continues, and reinforcements could be on the way soon. But for now, the Clippers are proving they don’t need to be full strength to be a problem. And with Kawhi Leonard playing like this, they’re going to be in every game - no matter who’s on the other side.