Leonard, George each score 31, Clippers tie series with Jazz

Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson each scored 24 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 98-96 on Thursday night in Game 6 to wrap up the first-round series. Photo: AP // Rick Bowmer

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard and Paul George each scored 31 points — the second straight game they have both had over 30 points — and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Utah Jazz 118-104 on Monday night to even their Western Conference second-round series at two games apiece.

Leonard provided the highlight of the night with his dunk late in the second quarter. He got the ball just beyond the 3-point line, drove past Royce O’Neale in the lane, and then slammed it over Derrick Favors to give the Clippers a 62-38 lead with 1:24 remaining in the second quarter.

Leonard and George have each scored at least 20 points in all 11 games this postseason. They are just the third duo in NBA history to do that in a team’s first 11 playoff games and the first since Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant with the Lakers in 2003.

Jerry West, who watched Monday’s game from courtside, and Elgin Baylor were the other duo with the 1962 Lakers.

Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said to TNT after the first quarter, “Our offense is pretty dysfunctional right now.” He added, “We’re not connecting.” 

Marcus Morris added 24 points and went 5 of 6 on 3-pointers for fourth-seeded Los Angeles. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.

Donovan Mitchell led Utah with 37 points, making him the first player since Golden State’s Stephen Curry in 2019 to have six straight 30-point games in the playoffs.

Joe Ingles added 19 and Bojan Bogdanovic 18 for the top-seeded Jazz, who has lost back-to-back playoff games for the first time this year.

Utah won the tip and scored on Bogdanovic’s dunk before the Clippers scored the next 10 points and never looked back as Leonard had five points during the early run.

LA’s largest lead in the first quarter was 19 as it was 6 of 12 on 3-pointers and forced six Utah turnovers.

Morris hit a pair of free throws with 5:21 remaining to put the Clippers up 51-22, which was their largest lead of the night. They had a 24-point advantage at halftime (68-44), which is tied for their second biggest in postseason franchise history.

LA led 105-85 with 6:48 remaining before the Jazz countered with a 17-7 run to cut it in half with 2:10 left.