Kawhi Leonard Leads Clippers Past Jazz as Los Angeles Continues NBA Best Stretch Since Christmas

Salt Lake City — Kawhi Leonard delivered another steady two way performance in a breaking update Tuesday night, scoring 21 points as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Utah Jazz 115 to 103, extending their surge as one of the league’s hottest teams and reinforcing their latest timeline in the Western Conference playoff race.

The Clippers improved to 22 and 24 with their ninth win in 10 games and their 16th victory in the last 19 outings, the best record in the NBA since Christmas. What this means for Los Angeles is a dramatic midseason turnaround after a 3 and 16 stretch earlier in the year, reshaping the team’s season outlook behind improved health and defensive consistency.

James Harden added 16 points and 10 assists, controlling tempo and creating efficient looks as the Clippers pulled away in the second half. Kris Dunn provided a critical spark off the perimeter with 14 points and a season high five steals, fueling a decisive 10 to 2 run in the third quarter. Dunn generated back to back steals that led directly to layups before knocking down a 3 pointer to push the lead to 73 to 61, a margin Los Angeles never relinquished.

Leonard’s impact extended beyond the box score. With him in the lineup, the Clippers are 14 and 2 in their last 16 games and have won seven straight. Leonard has now scored at least 20 points in 25 consecutive games, placing him alongside Bob McAdoo, World B Free, and Blake Griffin as the only players in franchise history to reach that milestone. From a league wide perspective, the stretch underscores Leonard’s sustained efficiency and availability following multiple seasons defined by load management and injury concerns.

Utah welcomed back Lauri Markkanen, who returned after missing seven games due to illness and finished with 19 points on 5 of 15 shooting. Ace Bailey led the Jazz with 20 points, while Brice Sensabaugh added 13. Despite a competitive first half, Utah fell to 15 and 32 and has now lost seven of its last eight games, signaling mounting challenges in maintaining continuity during a rebuilding season.

The Jazz were short handed in key areas. Jusuf Nurkic was unavailable due to illness after recording three consecutive triple doubles, and Keyonte George was held out for rest after averaging 28.8 points over his previous five games. Utah committed 17 turnovers, which Los Angeles converted into 23 points, a decisive factor as the Clippers tightened defensively and forced multiple shot clock violations.

Utah opened the game with the first 10 points and carried a narrow 54 to 53 lead into halftime, but the Clippers adjusted defensively in the second half, finishing with 10 steals. Despite playing at the slowest pace in the NBA, Los Angeles still outscored Utah 12 to 8 in fast break points, highlighting sharper execution and transition decision making.

Next steps see the Clippers traveling to Denver on Friday for a measuring stick matchup against a conference contender, while the Jazz return home to host Golden State on Wednesday as they continue navigating lineup availability and long term development priorities.