Clippers End Losing Streak as Harden and Leonard Lead the Way

The Los Angeles Clippers finally stopped their five-game losing streak on Wednesday night with a strong 115–92 win over the Atlanta Hawks. After dropping 14 of their last 16 games, the Clippers came into Atlanta looking for a fresh start — and they got it.

James Harden scored 27 points, made five 3-pointers, and also added nine assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Kawhi Leonard backed him up with 21 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Their combined effort helped L.A. control the game from start to finish.

Ivica Zubac also made a big impact. He scored 14 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season. John Collins, playing against his former team, added 15 points and nine rebounds.

The Hawks struggled to keep up. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 21 points, and Dyson Daniels added 15. Atlanta played without top scorer Jalen Johnson, who missed the game because of calf tightness, and Kristaps Porzingis, who sat out his third straight game with an illness. Their absence showed on the scoreboard — the Hawks scored only 41 points in the first half, their lowest total in any half this season.

The Clippers started strong with an early 11-point lead, but the Hawks fought back to tie the game at 32–32. From there, L.A. took control again. They went on a 15–3 run to close the half and led 55–41 at the break. In the third quarter, the Clippers pushed the lead to 20 points and entered the fourth quarter ahead 94–73.

Before the game, the Clippers made news by releasing veteran Chris Paul. The 12-time All-Star had been playing limited minutes and averaging just 2.9 points and 3.3 assists. L.A. also played without Bogdan Bogdanovic (hip contusion) and Jordan Miller (back soreness).

The Clippers continue their five-game road trip on Friday in Memphis. The Hawks stay home to face the Denver Nuggets before heading to Washington for the second game of their back-to-back.

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