Despite losing Paul George to a sore groin at halftime, the Los Angeles Clippers appear to be finding their stride after winning their fifth consecutive game behind a monster night from Kawhi Leonard.

The Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings, 119-99, holding the Kings to 42 percent shooting from the field and 27 percent from three. Leonard finished with 31 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 11-of-14 shooting. It was his third consecutive 30-point game and fifth in the last eight games.

“Just chemistry, playing together, getting clarity, knowing what to expect coming into games,” Kawhi Leonard said after the win. “I think that's what the biggest thing is.”

The Clippers' five game winning streak is currently the longest active streak in the NBA, and they boast the third best net rating (+9.9) over that five game span.

“The biggest thing for me is just staying with it,” head coach Tyronn Lue added postgame. “I think early on it was tough for us just trying to figure out how we wanted to play, trying to figure out rotations and all the different things and how James, PG, Kawhi and Russell all play together.

“Once we figured that out and just like the guys having constant dialogue after practice, before practice, James grabbing Kawhi and PG after practice, going through some plays and grabbing Zu and Theis, going through pick and rolls or how he wants them to set it and roll and grabbing our young guys with Bones and those guys working out. Just every day just continue trying to get better. We still got a long ways to go, but we're trending in the right direction, we're doing a lot of good things and we still just got to stay with it and continue to put in the work.”

The Clippers started the James Harden-era with an 0-5 record, including a home loss to one of the league's worst team in the Memphis Grizzlies. They've since won 10 of their last 13 games, and that 10-3 stretch is tied for the second best record in that span.

Paul George, who didn't play after halftime, finished the game with nine points, six rebounds, and two steals in 16 first-half minutes of play.

Kawhi Leonard Heating Up

Over his last eight games, Kawhi Leonard is looking more and more like the Leonard people expected to see this season. He's averaging 28.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in his last eight matchups on 57.7 percent shooting from the field, 54.1 percent from three, and 92.9 percent from the free throw line.

“I talked about this before, but coming off of the ACL injury, we were definitely monitoring my minutes and my workload to make sure that I stayed healthy. So just being healthy has been good.

“[Now, I”m] just in a good rhythm. My team's in a good rhythm.”

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Kawhi Leonard has seen double-teams seemingly more often this season than in prior years. A few weeks ago, Tyronn Lue approached his star about playing faster, now allowing double-teams to set up against him, and getting to his spots quicker.

“I think he's just picking his spots,” Tyronn Lue said. “I think for James [Harden] and [Paul George] be able to run pick-and-roll and get into the paint, he's getting some easy catch and shoot threes, he's able to play off closeouts and so he doesn't have to pound the whole game and that's been really good for him. Teams are trying to double team him, but he's going quicker before the double team gets there and he's usually getting to the basket, getting to a shot, or getting to the free throw line. So that's been really good.

“It's going to take some time just to figure out how we want to play with all these guys on the floor. And so they're figuring it out together, they're making each other better and that's what it's all about.”

With one of the tougher games of the homestand behind them, the Clippers now look ahead to the Golden State Warriors coming into town on Thursday night and the final game of the four-game homestand Saturday against the New York Knicks.

Paul George Injury Update

Paul George did not play in the second half of Clippers-Kings last night with what the team called a sore left groin. The Clippers star suffered the injury at some point in the first half, but head coach Tyronn Lue said it wasn't considered serious and he could've returned to the game if the team needed him to.

George was not present on the bench throughout the second half, which saw the Clippers sustain their 20-plus point lead the whole way. Instead, George was in the locker room getting treatment on the groin and preparing for the next couple of games.

More about Paul George's status for Thursday's game against the Warriors will be known by Wednesday night.