Clippers, Playing Without Kawhi Leonard, Come Up Short Against Spurs

Victor Wembanyama had 21 points and 13 rebounds and nan San Antonio Spurs overcame an early 14-point shortage earlier blowing astir of a 24-point lead and recovering to clasp disconnected nan Clippers 119-115 connected Monday nighttime astatine Intuit Dome.

Stephon Castle had 23 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds to lead nan Spurs (50-18), who reached 50 wins for nan first clip since 2016-17 and way nan first-place Thunder by 3 games successful nan West. Devin Vassell added 20 points.

Fighting to secure a spot for nan play-in tournament, nan Clippers’ 2nd consecutive nonaccomplishment dropped them backmost to .500 pinch Kawhi Leonard watching from nan bench. The NBA’s sixth-leading scorer sat retired pinch a sprained near knee.

Darius Garland drives to nan handbasket against De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama of nan Spurs successful nan 2nd half.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

Darius Garland led six Clippers successful double figures pinch 25 points and 10 assists. Jordan Miller had 22 points disconnected nan bench, which outscored nan Spurs’ reserves 57-30.

After nan Spurs ran disconnected 7 successful a statement to lead 115-102, Garland scored 7 of nan Clippers’ 9 points to get wrong 4 pinch 38 seconds remaining. But nan Spurs made 4 consecutive free throws to sphere nan win.

The Spurs led by 24 points successful nan 3rd earlier nan Clippers closed pinch a 16-3 tally to way by 10 going into nan fourth.

The Spurs started slowly, missing 8 of their first 9 shots, while nan Clippers surged to a 17-3 lead. They changeable 65% from nan level successful nan opening quarter, deed 5 of 7 three-pointers and made 10 of 12 free throws.

San Antonio turned things astir successful nan second. The Spurs erased each of their 14-point deficit, helped by 15 consecutive points complete nan extremity of nan first and commencement of nan second. In nan period, they outscored nan Clippers 37-15 to lead 66-52 astatine halftime.