Kawhi Leonard scores 36 to help Clippers top Hawks 149-144, finish road trip 6-1

ATLANTA (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Clippers finished off a long road trip in style with a 149-144 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

James Harden had 30 points and 10 assists, and Paul George scored 18 for Los Angeles.

Trae Young, the Eastern Conference player of the week, had 25 points and De'Andre Hunter matched a season high with 27 off the bench for the Hawks, who had won four in a row.

The Clippers went 6-1 on a 13-day road trip and improved to 26-5 since Nov. 30. They won at Miami on Sunday, the front end of this back-to-back.

Los Angeles shot 60% from 3-point range, while the Hawks were at 51.3%. The 149 points were the Clippers' second-most of the season.

Leonard, the Western Conference player of the week, keyed an 8-2 burst with under 2:30 to play, hitting a 3-pointer, converting a three-point play and assisting on a layup. The run gave the Clippers a 139-130 lead.

After three free throws by Young, Harden banked in a 3 while being fouled and stretched the lead to 142-133 with 1:06 left.

A back-and-forth third quarter ended with a buzzer-beating 3 by Daniel Theis that gave the Clippers a 102-101 edge entering the fourth.

Young tied the score at 66 with a driving hoop in the final second of the second period.

Hawks center Clint Capela, who has started 47 games, sat out with a left adductor strain and will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days.

Clippers starting center Ivica Zubac also missed the game after being listed as questionable. Zubac has a right calf strain.

UP NEXT

Clippers: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

Hawks: At the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

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