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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Leonard drops 45-point bomb in Clippers' romp over Timberwolves

Leonard drops 45-point bomb in Clippers' romp over Timberwolves

Published Mar 12, 2026 01:23 pm

At A Glance

  • INGLEWOOD, California (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves, 153-128, on Wednesday night, March 11, moving above .500 with their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
INGLEWOOD, California (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves, 153-128, on Wednesday night, March 11, moving above .500 with their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Eighth in the Western Conference at 33-32 after opening 6-21, the Clippers had their highest points total of the season. They blew out Minnesota after beating New York on Monday night to open a five-game homestand.
Leonard was 15 of 20 from the the field, 6 of 9 on 3s and made 9 of 10 free throws. Los Angeles made 19 of 37 3s.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points for Los Angeles. Clippers newcomer Darius Garland had 21, hitting five 3-pointers.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 36 points and Naz Reid had 18.
Minnesota dropped to sixth in the tight Western Conference, but only a half-game behind the third-place Lakers. The Timberwolves have lost three in a row after winning five straight. They lost to the Lakers on Tuesday night to open four-game trip.
Leonard scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Los Angeles take a 38-27 lead. He had 28 at the half, with the Clippers up 74-65, and went to the fourth with 39 and LA ahead 109-98. Los Angeles had a 44-30 edge in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic had 16 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds for his 25th triple-double of the season, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Houston Rockets, 129-93, in a Western Conference showdown.
Jamal Murray scored 30 points for Denver, which holds the tiebreaker over the Rockets after winning the season series 3-1. The Nuggets moved within a half-game of Houston in the bunched-up Western Conference standings.
It was the first time since mid-November Denver has won with its opening-night lineup together. The Nuggets had lost six of 10 out of the All-Star break as head coach David Adelman practices caution with workloads as players return to the lineup.
Jokic completed his 187th career triple-double with his 10th rebound with 4:14 left in the third. It is the 15th time this season he has secured a triple-double before the fourth quarter.
The Rockets, who finished 4 of 33 from behind the arc, were outscored 40-22 in the third. Kevin Durant finished with just 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, his fewest field goal attempts this season.
The Nuggets led by six at halftime and opened a 82-63 lead late in the third.
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