MINNEAPOLIS • It is hard to stop Paul George. It is hard to stop Kawhi Leonard. It is really hard to stop both at the same time.
The duo showed what the Los Angeles Clippers had in mind when they teamed up the superstar pair on Friday night.
George scored 46 points, Leonard had 42 and the Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-117 for their fourth consecutive National Basketball Association (NBA) win to improve to 20-7.
"It's special, two guys offensively," George said. "The thing about it, is, we're dishing, finding each other, feeding each other.
"And then when we have moments to be aggressive, we're looking to get aggressive, attack, look for our shots. It's great when both guys can get it going."
Leonard and George became the first set of teammates in the Clippers' history to each score 40 points. It was the 21st time in NBA history it has happened.
The last time it was done, it also involved George. He and Russell Westbrook did it for Oklahoma City last season.
Leonard and George's previous high this season came on Dec 1, when they combined for 65 points against Washington.
"It's great that we can have somebody else out there to help scoring the ball, making the game easier for myself," Leonard said.
"But we're still trying to build our chemistry out there."
Karl-Anthony Towns had 39 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota (10-15), who lost their seventh in a row.
Andrew Wiggins added 34 points. His basket with 1min 4sec left cut Los Angeles' lead to 119-115. But the Timberwolves did not get closer than four the rest of the way.
The Clippers' victory meant that they are now second in the Western Conference, behind neighbours, the Los Angeles Lakers (23-3).
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 33 points and had 10 rebounds in Miami as the Lakers handed the Heat (18-7) their first loss at home with a 113-110 win.
LeBron James added 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who extended their winning streak to six games.
Like George and Leonard, Davis and LeBron are also key to their team in their aim to make the play-offs this season.
"We have great chemistry. Us two are the leaders of this team and we are the head of the snake," said Davis.
ASSOCIATED PRESS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
