The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Toronto Raptors 98-88 in Los Angeles on Monday in Kawhi Leonard's first game against his old team since he helped bring Toronto its first NBA Finals title in June.
Leonard nearly earned a triple-double on the night (12 points, nine assists, 11 rebounds) but often found himself double-teamed by his old teammates, limiting his scoring ability. Clippers guard Lou Williams led all scorers with 21 points in a fairly low-scoring, sometimes sloppy night for both the defending NBA champions and this year's Finals favorite, the Clippers.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse's defensive gameplan was effective in limiting Leonard but wasn't enough to earn a second win in as many nights in LA.
Four different Raptors scored double-digit points on Tuesday: Pascal Siakam (16), Norman Powell (15), Fred VanVleet (14) and Chris Boucher (13). But an inability to finish down the stretch — they were outscored 25-10 in the fourth quarter — and only 15 trips to the free-throw line compared to LA's 30 ultimately left the Raptors down by 10 at the final buzzer.
MORE: Kawhi Leonard on facing Raptors: 'They’re taking up where they left off'
The Raptors lost starting forward OG Anunoby to injury early in the game when Leonard inadvertently poked him in the eye while Anunoby grabbed a rebound. The team confirmed early on that Anunoby would not return Monday, but the third-year player's status moving forward is still unknown.
Sporting News tracked live scores, updates and highlights from Raptors vs. Clippers on Monday.
Raptors vs. Clippers score
| Quarter | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raptors | 23 | 23 | 32 | 10 | 88 |
| Clippers | 15 | 36 | 22 | 25 | 98 |
Raptors vs. Clippers live score, updates and highlights
Quarter 4
1 a.m. ET — The Raptors, on the second night of a back-to-back, appear gassed at the end of this one. Leonard and the Clippers take a win, 98-88, after a hard-fought game.
12:56 a.m. ET — Harrell makes up for the block on him a minute earlier and slams a dunk home off Leonard's feed. Leonard knocks down two free throws to bring the lead to eight points.
12:55 a.m. ET — Chris Boucher completely stuffs Harrell at the rim, sending the Raptors' bench — and the Toronto contingent at Staples Center — to their feet. He puts a layup in a few moments later to help the Raptors crawl to a four-point deficit. The Clippers lead 92-88 with 1:21 to play.
Norman Powell slipped on a wet spot and came away limping, but he remains in the game.
WHAT A BLOCK BY BOUCHER! pic.twitter.com/KsumwJoDZ6
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) November 12, 2019
12:49 a.m. ET — The Raptors have only scored eight points through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter and miss several shots, even after stripping the ball from Leonard yet again. Kawhi ties his career-high for turnovers in one game (eight). Nick Nurse takes a timeout with a little more than three minutes left to play. Clippers hold a six-point lead (92-86).
12:40 a.m. ET — After Siakam misses two free throws, both teams miss shots back and forth until Harrell slams home a dunk for the Clippers. Hollis-Jefferson's foul sends Harkless to the line — he knocks done one of two free throws, bringing the game to 87-82 Clippers.
12:32 a.m. ET — The Raptors call a timeout with 9:11 remaining. They trail Los Angeles 82-79.
12:30 a.m. ET — The Clippers take a one-point lead with a three-point shot. 10 minutes remain in the game.
End of Quarter 3 — Raptors 77, Clippers 73
12:25 a.m. — Raptors rookie Matt Thomas knocks down a three to take a 75-72 lead. He has six points so far on Monday. VanVleet is able to extend Toronto's lead to three points after being fouled, and Thomas knocks down a bank shot to end the third quarter.
12:20 a.m. ET — Clippers guard Landry Shamet is helped off the court after falling while on defense.
Here's the Landry Shamet injury. It's hard to see exactly what caused it. pic.twitter.com/GApUPOywIR
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) November 12, 2019
12:13 a.m. ET — The Raptors continue their fantastic defense on Leonard (seven turnovers), but VanVleet misses a clear layup. The Raptors remain down by two (67-65) with just over three minutes to play in the third quarter.
12:09 a.m. ET — Toronto's Powell drives to the net and slams a dunk for his 15th points of the game, a Raptors team-high.
Yeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh @npowell2404 pic.twitter.com/5FzhJMy5sR
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 12, 2019
12:05 a.m. ET — Five consecutive missed shots by the Clippers result in a breakaway for Toronto's Powell, but he is fouled. The Clippers take a timeout with a three-point lead, 58-55.
Clippers just had eight offensive rebounds inn a single possession, and failed to score a single point. Ivica Zubac's face says it all. pic.twitter.com/nvJlvUbiZK
— Clipper Insider (@clipperinsider) November 12, 2019
12:03 a.m. ET — Fred VanVleet is given a technical foul for arguing with the referees during a Clippers possession.
11:57 p.m. ET — It takes a full 90 seconds for either team to score to start the second half, but Los Angeles' Landy Shamet puts up a three to open the scoring once more.
End of Quarter 2 — Raptors 46, Clippers 51
11:36 p.m. ET — A flurry of missed shots and wild turnovers in the last few minutes of the half. Patrick Beverley's layup takes a 49-36 lead for the Clippers just before the half ends, and Toronto's Powell takes an offensive foul with 0.5 seconds left. Patrick Beverley takes two free throws and sinks both to end the quarter. The Clippers lead 51-46.
11:27 p.m. ET — Leonard's fourth turnover of the night causes analysts to note how well Nick Nurse and the Raptors have planned to defend their former teammate.
Kawhi just committed his 4th turnover. He's played 16 minutes without a FG (0-for-5). Credit to Nurse and his sleepless night of game prep, Hollis-Jefferson, who has been excellent, and several others that have done a great job trapping him.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) November 12, 2019
11:25 p.m. ET — Siakam slams a dunk home after a pretty feed from Gasol.
This right here is what you call a DIME pic.twitter.com/EQVmsVd5qd
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 12, 2019
11:20 p.m. ET — Clippers center Montrezl Harrell draws a foul for a potential three-point play. Raptors remain ahead, 35-33, during a timeout.
11:14 p.m. ET — The Clippers go on a 10-1 run and briefly take back the lead, but Toronto quickly regains the lead.
End of Quarter 1 — Raptors 23, Clippers 15
Freddy pullin' up from ANYWHERE pic.twitter.com/0RCtZQ6pCu
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) November 12, 2019
11:04 p.m. ET — Toronto's Marc Gasol draws a charging foul. The teams trade missed shots until Raptors' Chris Boucher hits a three-point shot to extend Toronto's lead to seven points.
10:58 p.m. ET — Norman Powell hits one of two foul shots and the Raptors take a 10-9 lead with five minutes left in the first quarter.
10:55 p.m. ET — Sportsnet reports that OG Anunoby has a poked right eye and will not return to Monday's game. The Raptors confirmed this report minutes later.
10:52 p.m. ET — Siakam sinks a floater to cut Toronto's deficit to three points. The Clippers take a timeout.
10:43 p.m. ET — Play is stopped less than two minutes into the game after Raptors forward OG Anunoby goes down with an injury. Kawhi Leonard hit 22-year-old Anunoby in the eye as he collected a rebound. Raptors coach Nick Nurse was given a technical foul for protesting after play continued while Anunoby laid on the ground.
Anunoby has left the court for now, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has entered the game in his place.
Here's the inadvertent eye poke by Leonard on Anunoby. pic.twitter.com/STRUNHZVJ6
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) November 12, 2019
10:41 p.m. ET — The Raptors win the opening tip, but Patrick Beverley earns the first points of Monday's contest with a layup.
Pregame
10:38 p.m. ET — Here is the Raptors' starting five against the Clippers: VanVleet, Powell, Anunoby, Siakam, and Gasol. The Clippers' starters? Beverley, Shamet, Leonard, Patterson, Zubac.