The Los Angeles Clippers had no business winning this game. Down 24 points to the team with the worst record in the NBA, getting carved up from three in the first quarter, and looking completely disinterested early on. None of it mattered, and Kawhi Leonard made sure of that.
Leonard drilled a mid-range jumper with 0.4 seconds on the clock to lift the Clippers to a 114-113 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. It was the kind of shot that makes you remember why he's still one of the most dangerous players alive when the game is on the line.
"I'm trying to be a good teammate though," Leonard said postgame. "But I told [Darius Garland], I'm just about to shoot that s--- as high as I can. And then, end up just shooting it, and it went in."
Mar 27, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the game winning shot against Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23), center Jay Huff (32) and guard Andrew Nembhard (2) in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn ImagesKawhi Being Kawhi
Leonard finished with 28 points, and it was the 50th consecutive game he's reached 20. He's now the 14th player in NBA history to accomplish that feat, a streak that dates back to November 28.
Darius Garland led the Clippers with 30 points and played a critical role down the stretch, knocking down two free throws in the final minute to set the stage for Leonard's winner.
The sequence that ended it was vintage Kawhi. The Clippers inbounded along the left side, Kawhi caught it, dribbled into the middle, and pulled up. Nothing but net.
Jay Huff, an 83% free throw shooter, had a chance to respond but missed both shots after Brook Lopez was called for a foul on the inbounds play. The Clippers escaped.
From 24 Down to Four Straight Wins
The first quarter was ugly. Indiana was lights out from three, going 8-for-11 and opening up a lead that ballooned to 45-21 early in the second. The Clippers looked like a team that had already mentally checked out.
They clearly hadn't. LA stormed back in one of the more impressive rallies of the season, completing the comeback and handing head coach Ty Lue the 400th win of his career in the process. Four straight victories for a Clippers team that's still putting together some impressive stretches as the season winds down.
Aaron Nesmith led Indiana with 26 points and Obi Toppin added 20, including a jumper with a minute left that put the Pacers up 113-108. It looked like enough, but Kawhi had other ideas. The Pacers have now dropped two straight since snapping their 16-game winning streak, and Friday's collapse is going to sting for a while.
You don't blow a 24-point lead and lose on a buzzer beater without it leaving a mark. For the Clippers, it's four straight wins and a reminder that this team is still built for these moments.