LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard stood in front of five Los Angeles Clippers teammates during a timeout Sunday night, pointing his finger to emphasize his words. For the forward who had scored 33 and 36 points in his last two games, it was the extent of his contributions on this night.
Leonard did not play because of a contusion in his lower left leg, an injury that doubled the Clippers’ superstar void. Paul George spent the game stationed only a few feet from Leonard in a wine-colored tracksuit, out of uniform for a fifth consecutive game because of swelling in a bone in a toe.
Playing without two All-Star-caliber scorers is usually an ominous sign.
Against the skidding Cleveland Cavaliers, the omission barely mattered on the way to a 128-111 rout in which the Clippers led by as many as 28.
On their way to a seventh straight defeat, the Cavaliers allowed 70 points at halftime, then were forced to call a timeout just 40 seconds into the second half after allowing a three-pointer and layup to Patrick Beverley. The Clippers’ confidence only grew from there: Minutes later, Beverley turned around to face the Cavaliers bench before his three-pointer from the corner had even gone in.
Before the fourth quarter even began with the Clippers leading by 18, Lou Williams had already collected his first double-double since 2019. He finished with 30 points and 10 assists and Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 21 points, with nine rebounds.
The Clippers (20-8) have their own concerns right now. But on this night, Cleveland’s were the greater hindrance.
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