Leonard’s Late Heroics Lift Clippers Past Rockets in Thriller 105-102

You can talk about schemes, rotations, and analytics all day long. But sometimes, basketball just comes down to who has the best player on the floor when the clock is ticking toward zero.

On Wednesday night at the Toyota Center, that player was wearing a Clippers jersey.

Kawhi Leonard, as he has done so many times throughout a Hall of Fame career, put the team on his back in the fourth quarter. Leonard poured in 19 of his game-high 27 points in the final frame, culminating in a spectacular three-point play with just two seconds remaining to lift the Clippers to a heart-pounding 105-102 victory over the Houston Rockets.

It was a finish that sucked the air right out of the building. With the game tied at 102 and the clock winding down, Leonard isolated on the wing, rose up over Jae’Sean Tate, and buried a signature fadeaway jumper while absorbing the contact. The whistle blew, the shot dropped, and the Clippers’ bench erupted. Leonard calmly sank the free throw to ice it, extending his career-best streak of 20-point games to 33 in the process.

The Claw takes over in crunch time

For the first three quarters, the Clippers looked like a team searching for rhythm. But the fourth quarter belonged entirely to Leonard.

“He just got to his spots,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said postgame (implied).

The final sequence was set up by a chaotic few seconds. With the Clippers clinging to a one-point lead, Rockets center Alperen Sengun went to the line with 7.2 seconds left and a chance to take the lead. Sengun made the first to tie it, but clanked the second. Leonard snatched the rebound—his 12th of the night—and the Clippers immediately called time.

That set the stage for the game-winner. There was no deception, no complex motion offense. Just get the ball to number 2.

Unsung heroes fuel Clippers’ comeback

While Leonard will rightfully grab the headlines, this win was far from a one-man show. The Clippers found themselves in a deep hole late in the third quarter, trailing by as many as 13 points. The offense was stagnant, and Kevin Durant was beginning to heat up for Houston.

That’s when the supporting cast stepped up.

The Clippers ripped off a 12-0 run to bridge the third and fourth quarters, turning a potential blowout into a dogfight. Kris Dunn was instrumental, finishing with 16 points and providing gritty defense at the point of attack. Bennedict Mathurin provided a massive spark off the bench, chipping in 16 points of his own and getting to the line 10 times.

Brook Lopez also proved his worth, stretching the floor with three triples and finishing with 15 points. His spacing opened up the driving lanes that Leonard exploited so ruthlessly down the stretch.

Surviving the Rockets’ star power

This win is even more impressive considering who was on the other side. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 21 points, and for long stretches, he and Sengun (16 points, 9 rebounds) seemed poised to defend their home court.

The Rockets threw everything they had at the Clippers in the final minutes. After falling behind, Houston mounted a 13-4 run, powered by seven quick points from Durant, to briefly reclaim the lead at 93-91. It felt like the momentum had shifted for good.

They held Houston to just 26 points in the fourth quarter and forced key misses from Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason in the waning moments.

What this win means for the Clippers

This was the kind of gritty, ugly road win that can define a season. The Clippers (26-28) are still fighting to climb back to .500 and secure a better seeding in the crowded Western Conference. Beating a quality Rockets team (33-20) in their own building is a massive confidence booster.

It wasn’t perfect. The turnovers were an issue, and the offense went cold for long stretches. On Wednesday, the Clippers found a way, largely because they have a superstar who simply refuses to let them lose.

Up next for Los Angeles

There is no time to celebrate. The road trip continues as the Clippers prepare for a brutal back-to-back. They head home to host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, Feb. 19, in what promises to be another heavyweight clash.

If Wednesday night was any indication, the Clippers are ready for the fight.