By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON — Kawhi Leonard took over and propelled the Clippers across the finish line.
Leonard had 28 points and Paul George and James Harden each scored 21 as the Clippers rallied for a 122-116 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
The Clippers trailed by as many as 20 points and didn’t lead in the second half until there were less than three minutes remaining.
They overcame another big night from Houston big man Alperen Sengun, who had 23 points, a season-high 19 rebounds and 14 assists for his fourth career triple-double. It came a night after he scored a career-best 45 points in a victory over San Antonio.
Jabari Smith Jr.’s 3-pointer got the Rockets within two with less than two minutes to go. Norman Powell made one of two free throws for the Clippers before Sengun missed two free throws with just over a minute remaining to leave Houston down, 115-112.
Fred VanVleet got a technical with 48 seconds left arguing about a foul called on Sengun on a shot attempt by George. He made all three free throws to extend the lead to 118-112 and send the home fans streaming for the exits.
Smith added 19 points for Houston and rookie Cam Whitmore had 17.
The Clippers used an 8-1 run to make it 111-109 and take their first lead since early in the first quarter with just under three minutes to play. Powell started that run with a 3-pointer and George capped it with another one before pointing to his teammates on the bench.
Houston missed a shot after that before Leonard had a three-point play to extend the lead to 114-109 with two minutes left.
Houston led by 10 after a basket by Dillon Brooks early in the fourth quarter before the Clippers used a 9-4 run to cut the lead to 96-91. Harden led the way in that stretch, scoring seven points.
Whitmore made a 3-pointer for the Rockets before an 8-2 run by the Clippers, powered by 3-pointers from George and Leonard cut the lead to 101-99 midway through the quarter.
The…
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