The Clippers Back to .500 After Outlasting Knicks in High-Scoring Duel
Los Angeles Clippers #2 Kawhi Leonard (F) is pulling up for a jump shot while being surrounded by several New York Knicks defenders at the Intuit Dome. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 March 9, 2026.
INGLEWOOD, CA – The Los Angeles Clippers continued their March surge on Monday night, securing a 126-118 victory over the New York Knicks to pull their record to .500 for the first time since early November. After weathering a 6-21 start to the season, the Clippers (32-32) have now won five of their last six games as they push for a higher seed in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Kawhi Leonard anchored the offense with 29 points, extending his streak of 20-plus point games to 42—the second-longest active streak in the NBA. While Leonard provided the steady veteran presence, the night’s energy shifted in the second half behind Bennedict Mathurin scoring 22 of his 28 points off the bench. Darius Garland, making his second start, added 23 points and seven assists to a balanced attack that saw five Clippers score in double figures.
New York Knicks #32 Karl Anthony-Towns (C) is pulling up for a three-point shot while being guarded by the Los Angeles Clippers #11 Brook Lopez (C) at the Intuit Dome. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 March 9, 2026.
The contest opened with a barrage from deep as the Clippers knocked down four consecutive three-pointers to jump out to an early lead. The first half evolved into a heavyweight scoring duel between Leonard and the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns, who finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds. Leonard scored 10 straight for Los Angeles during the stretch, while Towns answered with eight in a row for New York, leaving the Clippers with a 64-55 advantage at halftime.
Despite trailing by as many as 15 points, the Knicks mounted a comeback fueled by Jalen Brunson, who scored six straight during a 17-9 run to pull New York within seven heading into the final frame. The fourth quarter remained tight as the Knicks closed within five points three separate times in the closing minutes. However, a critical three-point play from Mathurin and a late triple from Derrick Jones Jr. allowed the Clippers to regain control and secure the win.
Los Angeles Clippers #9 Bennedict Mathurin (G) with his three-pointer scored 28 points off the bench against the New York Knicks at the Intuit Dome. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 March 9, 2026.
Reflecting on the team's turnaround from their early-season "tailspin," Head Coach Tyronn Lue emphasized the growth in the locker room. "We’ve talked a lot about mental toughness and sticking together when things get difficult," Lue said post-game. "Tonight, when they made that late run, we didn't have that 'here we go again' mindset. We stayed strong, executed when it mattered, and found a way to win a tough one".
Bennedict Mathurin, speaking from the locker room, credited the team's preparation for his second-half explosion. "It’s about being ready when your name is called," Mathurin noted. "The starters set the tone early with those threes, and we just wanted to come in and keep that same energy to help the team get back to .500."
The victory marks another step in the Clippers' ascent up the standings as they look to carry this momentum into their upcoming road trip. For the Knicks, who currently sit third in the Eastern Conference, the loss split the season series and marked their third defeat in four games.