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Kawhi Leonard did everything he could on Sunday night to give the Los Angeles Clippers a surprise victory against the Detroit Pistons.
The Clippers have been one of the worst teams in the Western Conference through the first 31 games of the regular season, while the Pistons have been one of the best in the Eastern Conference. Leonard showed he still had gas in the tank.
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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard controls the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/William Liang)
He scored 55 points in Los Angeles’ 112-99 victory. He was 17 of 26 from the field and made five 3-pointers. He added 11 rebounds, five steals and three blocks to his stat line. It was the first time in his career that he scored at least 50 points in a game.
The 55-point total also tied a Clippers franchise record. He shared the total with teammate James Harden. Leonard had a chance to break it, but he limited his time in the fourth quarter to just six minutes and left the game with less than a minute to play.
“Like I told (Clippers head coach Ty Lue), I’d rather play another game than go out there and take a risk,” Leonard said. “Hopefully we can get another win and find ourselves in the same situation. It is what it is.”
Harden teased Leonard that it took him long enough to reach at least 50 points in a single game.
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Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) drives the ball under pressure from Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/William Liang)
“It was a beautiful thing to see how effective and effortless it was,” Harden said after the game. “It was so smooth. He got to the spot he wanted and once he got to that spot, it’s not even about the defender. It’s about him shooting.
“So happy for him because behind the scenes you look at someone and how hard they work. … For him, what he had to go through just to go out there and be himself was a beautiful thing to see.”
Leonard has slowly regained speed as he has dealt with ankle and foot injuries this season in addition to the knee issues that have plagued him throughout his career. He has already missed 10 games this season. He played 40 minutes for the first time last week against the Los Angeles Lakers and did it again Friday night.
“He’s finally healthy and can finally play enough minutes to be very effective,” Lue said. “When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best players in the league. We’ve seen that lately.”
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham talk after an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/William Liang)
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The Clippers are on a four-game winning streak with the Sacramento Kings coming to town Tuesday night.
