Crushing the Eastern Conference leader! Leonard scores a career-high 55 points as the Clippers easily defeat the Pistons to claim their fourth straight win.

On December 29th, in the NBA regular season, the Clippers dominated the Pistons at home with a 112-99 win, achieving their desired fourth straight victory.

Leonard led the Clippers with 55 points, 11 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 blocks; Harden added 28 points and 7 assists, and Batum scored 12 points. For the Pistons, Cunningham posted 27 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists; Duren grabbed 18 points and 14 rebounds; Ivey contributed 11 points.

In the first quarter, Leonard scored on a jump shot, then hit a three-pointer. Growing more confident, he completed a 2+1 play. Harden followed with a clutch three-pointer, giving the Clippers a dream start at 16-6. Harden kept scoring steadily, Batum nailed a corner three, Leonard hit another three, Niedhoffer completed a put-back dunk, and Batum’s long-range shot went in again, helping the Clippers close the quarter leading 33-20.

In the second quarter, Lopez made an easy put-back, Batum drained an open corner three, Dunn scored on a floater, and Batum hit another long-range shot, pushing the Clippers to a commanding 45-30 lead. Harden scored on a jump shot, and Leonard showcased his exceptional skills by repeatedly scoring, making it difficult for opponents to stop him. The Clippers continued to dominate and led 60-42 at halftime.

During the third quarter, Leonard scored 5 points from mid- and long-range shots, Dunn nailed a three-pointer, and Leonard hit a step-back jumper, extending the Clippers’ lead to 70-59 with a 21-point advantage. Leonard kept attacking both inside and outside, scoring relentlessly on his own, overwhelming the opposition and helping the Clippers maintain a wide 81-61 lead. Leonard then continued to display his shooting prowess with jump shots, pushing the lead to 92-69. By the end of the quarter, Leonard had already scored 51 points, setting a new career high.

In the final quarter, Lopez hit a long-range shot, Harden scored on a banked layup, and the Clippers maintained a commanding 100-79 lead. The rest of the game held no surprises, as the Clippers comfortably preserved their advantage and secured the victory as planned.

Starting Lineups

Clippers: Leonard, Batum, Lopez, Dunn, Harden

Pistons: Oskar, Harris, Duren, Robinson, Cunningham