Boston Celtics keen to slow Kawhi Leonard, snap Los Angeles Clippers’ winning streak

LOS ANGELES – On one of the best stretches of an already accomplished career, Kawhi Leonard will lead the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers against the Boston Celtics on Jan 3 (Jan 4, Singapore time) in Inglewood, California.

The Clippers have made Leonard, 34, the focal point of their offence and the six-time All-Star has put the charge into the team’s six-game National Basketball Association (NBA) winning streak.

In just under two weeks, they have delivered as many victories as they had in the first two months of the season.

The team’s run of success started with a 103-88 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec 20 that put a light on an improved defence.

Leonard scored 32 points in that game, went for a career-best 55 on Dec 28 against the Detroit Pistons and has averaged 39 points during the winning streak.

In the Clippers’ 118-101 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Jan 1, Leonard scored 20 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter when the game remained in doubt after going just one of three from the floor in the third.

He has thoroughly inspired his team and suddenly, the Clippers are as much about their scoring prowess as their improved defence.

“I’ve been like that since I came in,” Leonard said about taking charge when the need arises. “Once you start seeing (opportunities), you start attacking more and you start to be in focus. I was aggressive from Day 1.”

Over his first 17 games, surrounding a 10-game absence prompted by ankle and foot injuries, Leonard averaged 6.0 attempts from three-point range. Over the past six games, he averaged 9.8 attempts from distance and converted 47.5 per cent of them.

“Kawhi came through and bailed us out again,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.

Next up will be Boston.

The Celtics enter the final game of a five-game post-Christmas road trip with a 3-1 mark that includes a 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Jan 1.

Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and like Leonard, he is a key figure for his team. Before the next round of fixtures, Brown ranked sixth in the NBA with an average of 29.5 points per game.

His nine attempts from three-point range on Jan 1 matched his second most in a game this season, but he made just one of those shots. The 29-year-old is shooting just 30.8 per cent from distance over the past five games.

However, the Celtics can also depend on Derrick White, who took charge late on against Sacramento, putting up 14 points in the fourth quarter. He will be just as crucial against the Clippers should Brown not perform at his best.

“The biggest thing about (White) is that he doesn’t allow the misses to discourage him,” coach Joe Mazzulla said of White.

“He continues to play defence, he continues to shoot, he continues to stay aggressive.”

The Celtics earned a 121-118 home victory over the Clippers on Nov 16 to reach 7-7. Boston have gone 14-5 since then. The Clippers were at 4-9 after losing at Boston.

Meanwhile, in NBA action on Jan 2, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 30 points in 29 minutes as the Oklahoma City Thunder thumped the Golden State Warriors 131-94 in San Francisco.

The 37-point margin of victory was Oklahoma City’s second largest of the season. The drubbing was the Warriors’ worst of the 2025-26 campaign.

Elsewhere, Luka Doncic scored 34 points with eight assists and LeBron James added 31 points with nine rebounds as the Lakers finished off a 128-121 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and threw down a game-winning alley-oop dunk to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a thrilling 122-121 victory over the visiting Charlotte Hornets.

De’Aaron Fox led all scorers with 24 points as the San Antonio Spurs clinched a 123-113 win over the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.
REUTERS