INGLEWOOD, California (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points — his career-high 23rd consecutive game with at least 20 — and the Los Angeles Clippers survived a tight fourth quarter to beat Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers, 112-104, on Thursday night, Jan. 22.

The Clippers have won seven of eight and 14 of 17 as they continue their upward climb from the depths of the Western Conference. Leonard, who missed a stretch when his team had nearly bottomed out in the standings, has a left knee contusion but he didn't sit for long in the fourth.

LeBron James scored 4 points and Doncic hit a 3-pointer to cap a 19-7 run that closed the Lakers within two.

James Harden answered Doncic's 3 with one of his own as the Clippers ran off 10 in a row to stay in front, 103-91.

But the Lakers weren't done yet. James hit a jumper and completed a three-point play in an 11-2 run that drew them within three.

Ivica Zubac's reverse dunk and John Collins' 3-pointer extended the Clippers' lead to eight points and they closed it out on Harden's pair of free throws.

Luka Doncic had 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and James added 23 points. The Lakers fell to 5-6 in their last 11.

Harden had 18 points and 10 assists and Zubac added 18 points and 19 rebounds for the Clippers, who had seven players in double figures.

Leonard, Harden and Zubac combined to score the Clippers' first 15 points of the third, extending their lead to 26 points — largest of the game.

From there, the Lakers outscored them 19-7 to go into the fourth trailing 86-72. James opened the spurt with a 3-pointer and ended it with a huge dunk off Harden's turnover after Doncic chipped in 9 points in the quarter.

The Clippers dominated the first half, outscoring the Lakers 17-7 — including nine in a row — over the final minutes to go into halftime leading 64-47.

Doncic scored just three of his 17 first-half points in the second quarter when Leonard led the bench against Doncic and James. The Clippers shot 59% from the floor while limiting the Lakers to 42%.

The Lakers were still without Austin Reaves (calf strain), although coach JJ Redick expects him back soon.

 Meanwhile, Naji Marshall tied his season highs with 30 points and nine assists, and the Dallas Mavericks beat Golden State, 123-115, winning a season-best fourth consecutive game while dropping the Warriors to 0-2 since Jimmy Butler's season-ending knee injury.

Stephen Curry scored 38 points and was 8 of 15 from 3-point range on the night the Warriors' superstar became the first in NBA history to attempt 10,000 shots from beyond the arc. He's now 4,222 of 10,007 from deep.

Cooper Flagg had 21 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in 30 minutes when Dallas' rookie No. 1 pick was supposed to be limited to 20-25 minutes in his second game back since missing a pair with a sprained left ankle.

Max Christie also had 21 points, Brandon Williams scored 19 off the bench and Dwight Powell had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Klay Thompson hit two first-half 3s for six points against his former team.

The Warriors were up one midway through the fourth quarter when Draymond Green was called for a flagrant foul that had him arguing with the officials. Less than a minute later, another foul by Green was reviewed but not called flagrant.

Green argued anyway as he went to the bench after the second foul, and the Mavs continued on an 11-0 run that started after the flagrant foul. Green fouled out with 3:50 remaining.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 10 points in 9 minutes before leaving with left knee soreness in the first half. He landed awkwardly on the knee while dribbling the length of the court.

It was Kuminga's second game after sitting for a month while falling completely out of coach Steve Kerr's rotation. Butler's ACL tear in his right knee created an opening for Kuminga to return.