Paul George nails 6 3s, scores 28, Kawhi Leonard adds 27 points as Clippers beat Bulls 126-111
CHICAGO (AP) — Paul George made six 3-pointers and scored 28 points, Kawhi Leonard added 27 and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Chicago Bulls 126-111 on Thursday night.
Los Angeles regrouped after a 20-point lead late in the third quarter dwindled to eight in the fourth and stopped a two-game skid, beating Chicago for the second time in six days. Both teams were missing key players with the Clippers’ James Harden (strained left shoulder) and the Bulls’ Coby White (sore right hip) sidelined.
George was 11 of 12 from the field. He made 6 of 7 3s — one shy of a season high — and the Clippers were 20 of 40 from beyond the arc.
Leonard, who exited Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota because of back spasms, made 12 of 17 shots.
Norman Powell scored 18 points and Bones Hyland added 17 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who are fourth in the Western Conference.
DeMar DeRozan led Chicago with 21 points after scoring a season-high 46 in Wednesday’s overtime win at Indiana. The Bulls have lost three of four.
Nikola Vucevic scored 19 for Chicago. Alex Caruso made five 3s and finished with 17 points after scoring a season-high 23 the previous night, and Andre Drummond scored 15.
The Clippers led 90-70 after Terance Mann's fast-break layup with about 4:30 left in the third quarter. But the Bulls weren't finished.
DeRozan cut it to 98-90 early in the fourth with a finger-roll and 3-pointer. It was a nine-point game midway through the quarter when Hyland made a 3 and Ivica Zubac tipped in a missed 3 by Leonard, and the Clippers remained in control from there.
The Bulls, were breathing a little easier after imaging showed White was not seriously injured, coach Billy Donovan said. He is day to day after Pascal Siakam blocked his layup and landed on him near the end of regulation at Indiana on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Visit New Orleans on Friday.
Bulls: Host Washington on Saturday.
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