Basketball: Clippers beat Thunder 108-101, tie Lakers for NBA’s best record

Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat Oklahoma City 108-101 on Sunday for their seventh consecutive victory and second straight over the Thunder. Serge Ibaka added 17 points. At 13-4, the Clippers are tied with the Lakers for the best record in the NBA. Leonard's total was one off his season high to go with nine rebounds and eight assists. He had 31 points in LA's 14-point win over the Thunder on Friday night. "On a night when we weren't making shots, it was a good, tough, grind-out win for us," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "Kawhi had it going so we played through him a lot, especially in the second half. We had to ride him pretty hard just so we could continue to keep the lead." Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 23 points against his former team, and George Hill added 22 points. Oklahoma City has lost three in a row and five of six. "It was a huge improvement from the first game," forward Isaiah Roby said. "We came out with a lot more fight this game." Hill hit three straight 3-pointers for the Thunder after they trailed by 17 in the fourth. Reggie Jackson turned the ball over and Luguentz Dort fed Gilgeous-Alexander for a dunk that capped 11 consecutive points and cut their deficit to 102-96. Leonard dunked to stop the Thunder's run. Gilgeous-Alexander dribbled inside and scored, getting the Thunder back within six. Oklahoma City was forced to foul in the closing seconds and Jackson made 4 of 6 free throws to close it out.