The Los Angeles Clippers watched as their 17-point lead late in the third quarter was quickly trimmed down to zero late in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans. Thankfully, Kawhi Leonard was there to save the day.
Leonard capped off his season-high 34-point performance with a 21-foot left-wing jumper at the buzzer to give the Clippers the victory and send the Pelicans to 0-5 on the season. And he knew it was good too.
“Yeah, for sure, I knew it was going in,” Kawhi Leonard said regarding his game-winning shot.
Leonard finished the night with 34 points, five rebounds, five assists, and six steals while shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 5-of-8 from three.
His final shot came on a pass from Derrick Jones Jr. with approximately four seconds on the clock. What appeared to be a somehow broken play and ended up with Leonard's 21-footer at the buzzer.
“I've probably said this before, but three or four seconds is a lot of time,” Leonard added. “So I've probably seen that on the clock by the time DJ turned around and, like I said, it's a lot of time, so you've got time to to take a tribble, two dribbles. You can get to your spot or use a pump fake to try to throw the defense off. I just try to not be in a rush, especially in a tie game. You just try to shoot your shot and not rush it.”
. @LawMurrayTheNU: “Is that a wetball?”
Kawhi Leonard: “what you think? Did it hit rim?”
Law: “no.”
Kawhi: “Wetball then.” 😂 pic.twitter.com/rk29iINkay
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 1, 2025
James Harden added 24 points, five rebounds, 14 assists, and two steals on the night. Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Clippers had five players in double-digit scoring, including John Collins' 14 points off the bench.
“That's one of the things we've got to get better at: I think we were up 10 in that fourth, and we've got to be able to hold those leads,” Lead added. “It shouldn't come down to the last shot. My mistake by turning over the ball at the end. We've got to get better at that.”
Up next for the Clippers is a back-to-back set against the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday and Tuesday. Leonard told ClutchPoints he plan to take part in both games and participate in the back-to-backset.
“I do plan to play in both games. There’s no restrictions on me. I feel good. I think everybody is comfortable with where I’m at today.”
Me: “Do you plan to play in both halves of the back-to-back set?”
Kawhi Leonard: “I do plan to play in both games.
Me: “Have you already discussed that with the medical staff?”
Kawhi: “‘There’s no restrictions on me. I feel good… I think everybody is comfortable with where… pic.twitter.com/cua6lhTBVO
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 1, 2025
