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Kawhi Leonard hits game-winning shot against Hornets in his return

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kawhi Leonard couldn’t have drawn up a better return.

The five-time All-Star had 16 points, including an 18-foot step-back jumper with 1.4 seconds left, to lift the Clippers to a 119-117 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in his return from a right ankle sprain.

Paul George also came back from a strained hamstring to score 19 points along with seven assists for the Clippers, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Reggie Jackson and Nic Batum each had 13 points, and John Wall added 12 points and 12 assists off the bench.

Luke Kennard added nine points off the bench in his first game back from an injury as well.

“It felt good to be back. I love this game of basketball. I don’t think nobody loves playing more than me,” said Leonard, who had missed the previous six games. “It gives me joy when I am able to play. That ending is just, it is great that I was able to make that shot.”

George said when he saw Leonard move to the right side of the key as the clock wound down, he knew he had to get the ball into his hands.

“Any time you see Kawhi going to the spot, that’s where he is comfortable and that’s where we are comfortable,” George said. “So, I swung the ball. I wanted to get it to him right there and he took it home with his shot.”

Kelly Oubre had 28 points and P.J. Washington bounced back from an 0-for-13 shooting night on Saturday night to add 26 for the Hornets. Washington missed a fadeaway jumper as time expired that would have tied the game.

Getting Leonard, George and Kennard back should provide a huge boost for the Clippers (14-11) moving forward. Leonard had been out since Nov. 21, George since Nov. 19 and Kennard since Nov. 15 with a calf strain.

George said it’s “super important” to get everyone healthy again, and that it felt like the start of a new season.

“This is really a great opportunity to kind of get back on track,” said George, who was 8 for 15 from the field (2 for 4 from 3-point range) in 28 minutes. “We were playing well when we were healthy and now we can start building toward the team we were trying to be.”

But the win didn’t come easily.

The Hornets (7-17) outscored the Clippers 26-8 to start the third quarter behind eight points from Terry Rozier to take an 80-71 lead.

The Clippers tied it up when George saved an offensive rebound from going out of bounds by flicking the ball to Leonard under the basket for an easy basket with 39.7 seconds left.

“We’ve got to get that rebound,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “It’s the second game this year, you make one play and they’ve got to foul, we’re up two. That’s the biggest play.”

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After Jalen McDaniels missed a 3-point attempt at the other end, the Clippers found Leonard for an isolation play on the right side of the court.

He made a ball fake to freeze McDaniels, then dribbled once and stepped back to his left to drain the shot before exchanging a high-five with George and a flying chest bump with Marcus Morris Sr.

“My teammates trusted me,” said Leonard, who was 7 for 15 from the field in 28 minutes. “I was able to get in my spot and my team gave me space. I was able to knock down a shot.”

TIP-INS

Clippers: Norman Powell remained out with a groin strain. … The Clippers shot 15 of 36 from 3-point range.

Hornets: LaMelo Ball has now missed 21 of 24 games this season with a high ankle sprain. Gordon Hayward has missed 13 games with shoulder issues, Cody Martin 23 games with a knee injury and Dennis Smith Jr. has been out 10 games with a right ankle sprain.

UP NEXT

The Clippers play at Orlando on Wednesday at 4 p.m. PT

Janis Carr contributed to this story.

Kawhi Leonard wins it for the @LAClippers https://t.co/va5Jo6LgR8 pic.twitter.com/R4GCxzcX7J

— NBA (@NBA) December 6, 2022

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