PHOENIX — Russell Westbrook had a triple-double, and the Clippers clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday night, officially avoiding the play-in tournament by withstanding the Phoenix Suns’ late rally for a 105-92 win that guaranteed them at least a top-five finish in the Western Conference standings.

Westbrook had 16 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists for his first triple-double of the season and the 199th of his career, as the Clippers built a 31-point lead in the first quarter before holding on late.

It was an embarrassing early showing for the Suns, who are fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament. They eventually rallied to cut the margin to 91-84 with 6:45 left on Bradley Beal’s free throw, but couldn’t get closer.

The Clippers – who were playing without All-Stars James Harden and Kawhi Leonard – have won four straight and seven of eight. They host the Suns on Wednesday night in the second game of the home-and-home series.

“Our will to win was great,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We came out with a defensive mindset, we were really physical, offensively we were clicking. This is a hell of a win against a really good team.”

Paul George led the Clippers with 23 points while Ivica Zubac added 17 points and 13 rebounds. All five starters scored in double figures, with Terance Mann adding 17, Amir Coffey contributing 13 and Powell adding 10.

Westbrook had a standout game in his first start since November.

“No surprise on my end because I know I prepare very well,” Westbrook said. “I take a lot of time to prepare for games, no matter how much time on the floor. I’m grateful for my teammates, believing in me.”

Phoenix shot just 2 for 19 from the field in the opening quarter as boos became progressively louder from the home crowd. The Clippers built a 35-4 lead in less than 10 minutes, when Phoenix went nearly six minutes without scoring.

Fans sarcastically cheered when Devin Booker hit two free throws to stop the drought.

Kevin Durant led the Suns with 21 points while Beal had 19. Booker finished with 12, shooting just 1 for 11 from the field.

The Clippers continued to build their lead in the second. Bones Hyland hit a 3-pointer that made it 51-14 – which was the largest lead of the night – and they took a 66-33 lead into the halftime break.

Booker, Durant and Beal combined to shoot 4 for 25 from the field before the break. The Suns have dropped two straight.

“We got some good looks early, we missed them,” Booker said. “They were hot and that’s a bad combination for us.”

Phoenix showed some life in the third quarter, cutting the margin to 84-68 heading into the fourth. Coach Frank Vogel elected for a five-guard lineup for most of the second half, hoping the Suns could shoot their way back into the game.

It actually worked for a while, but they couldn’t overcome 8-for-35 shooting (23%) from 3-point range.

Both teams were short-handed, though the Clippers, who turned the ball over 18 times, were in worse shape. Leading scorer Leonard sat out his fifth straight game because of inflammation in his right knee, and Harden (8.6 assists per game) was dealing with inflammation in his right foot.

Phoenix was playing without starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who has a sprained right ankle.

It was the final home game of the season for the Suns, who close the regular season with three road games against the Clippers, Sacramento Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Clippers (50-28) remain in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, two games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks (48-30) after their furious comeback victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. The Mavericks, however, are streaking; they have won nine of their past 10 games.

Lue isn’t going to relax or rest any of his players until the final buzzer of the season or should the Clippers secure the No. 4 seed before then. The Clippers face the Phoenix Suns in a home-and-away back-to-back set starting Tuesday night in Phoenix.

They then close out the season with home games against the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets.

“I don’t see that right now,” Lue said when asked if he would rest any players down the stretch. “I mean we’re still fighting for that four seed, so (not) until we are able to clinch that, or we understand that we have a chance to clinch it or we don’t have a chance to clinch it.

“Right now, our focus is on just playing better basketball, continuing to keep getting better and ending up the best we can as far as seeding.”

All-Star Paul George, who had a big fourth quarter (when he scored 23 of his 39 points) to carry the Clippers to their 120-118 victory on Sunday, understands Lue’s caution but is hoping they can wrap up their seeding before the final game this weekend.

“Hopefully we’re locked up and I don’t need to be in that one,” George said. “Yeah, but my focus is this next one with Phoenix, and so we’ll get there when we get there.”

Should the Clippers clinch the No. 4 spot, they appear likely to face Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in the first round for the third time in five years.

Getting to the end with a high seed in hand is going to take continued improvement in rebounding, turnovers and defense. The Clippers – who have played their past four games without All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard (knee inflammation) – allowed the Cavs to score 80 points in the first half, signaling a complete breakdown in defense, catching everyone from Lue to the end of the bench by surprise.

“We knew that the first half wasn’t us defensively – 80 points in the first half,” George said. “There’s just no defense being played at all on our behalf. So, I thought defensively we stepped it up and played a little bit more physically and we just kept chipping away.

“We recognized it wasn’t us, we just addressed it.”

Lue said he knew his team was better defensively than what occurred in the first 24 minutes, but the Cavs exposed their weaknesses in every facet.

“In the first half they just ran wherever they wanted to go,” Lue said. “It was our point of attack defense, one-on-one, just straight-line drives and blow-bys with no resistance, no physicality and it is tough to win like that.”

Lue challenged the team at halftime to pick up their physicality and man defense.

“If you guard your man one-on-one, the help defense is easier. But if you’re getting blown by, it’s just too hard,” he said. “I give our guys credit in that second half, outside the first maybe six minutes of the third quarter, after that we really started defending, we really got into them aggressively. That changed the game. And so that’s who we got to be and that’s who we’ve been for the last eight, 10 games. In that second half, we really got back to it.”

CLIPPERS AT SUNS

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Footprint Center

TV: KTLA (Ch. 5), 1150 AM

His stalwart play down the stretch, including blocking a potential game-winning 3-pointer with less than a second to play, allowed the Clippers to hold off the Cleveland Cavaliers, 120-118, in a wild comeback Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.

Westbrook scored just eight points but had seven rebounds, six assists, one steal and that key block off the bench.

“Well, all year long, honestly, I’ve been depending on my defense and holding people and stopping people when time is needed,” Westbrook said. “And tonight was one of those nights where we needed to get stops to be able to close the game and close the gap.

“I thought we did a good job of that as a team.”

With the Clippers down by 26 points in the third quarter, Paul George took over, scoring 23 of his game-high 39 points in the fourth quarter for the team’s biggest comeback of the season and their largest in franchise history.

“Never give in. Never quit. Always find ways to keep battling,” Westbrook said. “You never know. One possession, one thing could turn the game around. One stop. One three, whatever it may be. And I just kept telling our guys to keep staying with it, to keep fighting, keep getting stops. Tonight was a night where we stuck with it, had each other’s back and came out with a win.”

LEONARD SITS AGAIN

Kawhi Leonard didn’t play Sunday against the Cavaliers, the fourth consecutive game he has missed because of inflammation in his right knee – the same knee that he had surgery on in 2021 to repair a partial tear of his anterior cruciate ligament.

And with four games left in the regular season, coach Tyronn Lue said he is not worried about the two-time Finals MVP.

“I don’t have a level of concern,” Lue said, adding that he didn’t know when to expect Leonard to be back in the lineup.

Leonard has played in 68 games this season, his most since the 2016-17 season with the San Antonio Spurs, when he appeared in 74 games. He is averaging a team-high 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

WELCOME BACK

Marcus Morris Sr. returned to Crypto.com Arena for the first time Sunday, this time wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey. The veteran forward played three-plus seasons with the Clippers before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in November as part of the trade that brought James Harden to Los Angeles.

He was greeted with an in-game tribute that featured scenes from his time at Crypto.com Arena on the overhead scoreboard.

The Sixers later traded Morris to the San Antonio Spurs, but he didn’t play a game for them before being waived in February. A month later, he signed with the Cavs. He is averaging 6.0 points off the bench in 10 games for Cleveland.

Morris averaged 12.1 points in 195 games for the Clippers and 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in their 2020 playoff run. He is 10th on the franchise’s all-time 3-point list.

“He’s a guy who can shoot the basketball, he can pull up, play the post, present mismatches,” Lue said. “He was a big part of what we did here.

“When we got to the conference finals. Marcus played a big part of that in the playoff stretches. playoff runs. He’s always been big for that, so just happy to see and we get a chance to see him today.”

Morris entered Sunday’s game in the second quarter and finished with two points in 13 minutes.

The defense gave up 80 points in the first half, the offense stalled and double-digit turnovers seemed to doom any chance they had at posting a third consecutive victory and their sixth in seven games.

“I knew we weren’t ourselves, and so at that point I was locked in and committed to do whatever it took to win,” Paul George said.

And so he did.

George scored 23 of his game-high 39 points in the final quarter and blocked a potential game-tying shot to pull the Clippers from an afternoon disaster to their biggest comeback of the season, a 120-118 victory against the Cavs

The victory assured the Clippers (50-28) of their sixth 50-win season in franchise history.

The Clippers trailed by as many as 26 points in the third quarter before George took control, scoring and assisting on other shots down the stretch to seal the victory. He said he wasn’t going to stop playing hard until the clock reached zero.

“I told (coach Tyronn Lue), ‘Don’t take me out.’ I wanted to stay in,” said George, who sat with ice bags on both knees for 30 minutes after the game.

“I just felt we were making a good push and he trusted me to just continue it on. … I just thought we were in striking range and my aggression just got higher, and so it was just a will to win at that point.

Norman Powell got the rally going with two big 3-pointers in the third quarter and one in the fourth that cut the Cavs’ lead to 100-92. George then got going.

Terance Mann tied the game at 115 on a corner 3-pointer with 1:16 to play and Amir Coffey, on a pass from George, gave the Clippers a 118-115 lead on a 26-footer for his only basket of the game.

Cavs center Jarrett Allen again tied the game at 118 with a three-point play, but George scored with seven seconds to go on a 13-foot jumper as the shot clock buzzer sounded to put the Clippers ahead. He then blocked Darius Garland’s two-foot shot as time ran out.

“I went with him in the fourth quarter,” Lue said. “I was debating a couple times to get him out for two minutes and bring him back. But he said he was good. He said he was OK. And I mean that was a huge game he had tonight, and we needed every bit of it – just rebounding, the big, blocked shot at the end, the game winner. So, he was huge for us all night.”

Russell Westbrook, who smothered Max Strus’ last-gasp 3-pointer, said the team had to “dig in.”

“It’s the time of the year. Can’t give in, can’t give up games,” said Westbrook, who finished with eight points, seven rebounds and six assists. “Got to find ways to win basketball games, however you gotta dog it. And for us it’s important, especially with Kawhi down. You got to figure out ways to be able to get a win.”

Making their effort harder was the fact the Clippers again were without Kawhi Leonard, who missed his fourth consecutive game because of inflammation in his right knee. Reserve center Daniel Theis also sat out the game because of a sprained left thumb.

Without Leonard, Lue knew it would be a long afternoon against the Cavs, who are in third place in the Eastern Conference and possess two of the league’s most dynamic guards in Garland and Donovan Mitchell.

Mitchell, however, didn’t play due to left knee injury management. The Cavs still had five players in double figures, led by Garland’s 28 points and eight assists.

James Harden, listed by the Clippers as questionable because of a sore right foot, scored 22 points with five rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes. He didn’t play the fourth quarter with Lue said he was “not able to go back in.” He didn’t explain further.

In addition to his points, George had a season-high 11 rebounds and seven assists. Powell scored 14 points and Ivica Zubac posted 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The game appeared to be one of those early contests that seem to catch the Clippers unprepared. The Cavs jumped out to an eight-point lead in the first quarter.

Unlike other matinee games this season, however, the Clippers managed to get themselves back into contention, even taking a two-point lead with 1:17 in the first on a step-back 10-footer by George. Then they reverted to their old habits.

“So, we challenged our guys at halftime like we know we can score the basketball, but can we get stops? Can we pick our physicality up? Can we guard our man one-on-one? If you guard your man one-on-one, the help defense is easier,” Lue said.

“But if you’re getting blown by it’s just too hard. And so, I give our guys credit in that second half, outside the first maybe six minutes of the third quarter, after that we really started defending, we really got into them aggressively. That changed the game.”

By halftime, the Cavs held an 80-59 lead and stretched it to 26 points in the third quarter as they took advantage of Clippers turnovers.

Slowly, though, the Clippers staged a comeback that was unthinkable in other matinee games.

Behind the play of Zubac and Powell, the Clippers managed to find their rhythm late in the third, pulling to within 94-77 on a 3-pointer by Powell. The former UCLA star again found the basket from beyond the 3-point line to narrow the lead 97-86 with 31 seconds left in the quarter, capping an 18-4 run.

Zubac had eight points, scoring on all four of his attempts, and posted five rebounds in the quarter.

The Clippers extended a modest two-game winning streak with a lopsided victory against the Utah Jazz on Friday by clamping down on defense, especially when they saw their 38-point lead slip to 22 in the third quarter.

“We locked in,” James Harden said. “Offensively, you want to make shots obviously every play. But if you don’t make them, whatever happens. But defensively, we can control that. I think tonight was a really good step forward in our defense.”

While the Clippers were never truly in danger of losing to the Jazz, the defensive lapse was symptomatic of what led to an erratic February and March, when they couldn’t string together more than two victories. Now, they are looking to add to their recent run of successful outings with a Sunday afternoon game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are third in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s a long season,” Harden said. “As much as you want to win games and you want everything to go smooth, it’s not going to happen like that. I think every team goes through that with whatever happens, whatever is going on, whatever happens. So, for us it was just bad timing. But now we got an opportunity. We got what, (five) games left to ramp it up and get better.”

The Clippers (49-28) need to close out the regular season strong to solidify their fourth-place standing in the Western Conference. They hold a two-game advantage over the Dallas Mavericks and a three-game lead over the Phoenix Suns, who are battling for fifth place.

Paul George said the Clippers need to use their past five victories in six games as something of a springboard heading into the final five games.

“We need to build off this,” he said. “Have some consistency.”

The key will be a consistent level of hard-nose defense. The Clippers have held all but one of their past six opponents to 110 points or less, a demonstration of their focus on stopping teams.

“I think our defense has picked up,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “It’s been a lot better, a lot better (with) paying attention to detail, bringing physicality, rebounding the ball well.

“But our defense has been holding us up, so I know offensively we are going to be a good team and we can make shots. We haven’t shot the ball as well as we wanted to, but defensively is what’s carried us over these last six or seven games.”

Asked what changed, Lue said their defensive uptick has been a matter of “just doing it.” He has talked for weeks about their need to play tougher on defense, especially in transition.

“I think we understand the foundation of our defense and what we want to do,” Lue said. “And like I talked about before, just blitzing a lot during those stretches and we spread out, we’re rotating, we’re flying around to start games.

“Teams are making threes, and so we wanted to get good at our blitz package. But then I think I had to call it off the last seven, eight games and just be in our regular drop coverage, switching one through four, let (center Ivica) Zubac being in a deep drop, not up to touch.”

And that allowed the Clippers to play better defense. Lue said employing the blitz is going to be key if the Clippers hope to advance far in the playoffs.

“I think we’re ramping up for the big goal,” Harden said.

CAVALIERS AT CLIPPERS

When: Sunday, 12:30 p.m.

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV/radio: Bally Sports SoCal/570 AM

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  Clippers guard James Harden drives past Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George and center Omer Yurtseven (77) during the first half on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers star Paul George takes a 3-point shot against Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  The Clippers’ Terrance Mann (14) scores over Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers forward P.J. Tucker, right, takes a 3-point shot against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers star Paul George reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  The Clippers’ Terrance Mann (14) scores against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, right, scores against Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard James Harden (1) defends against Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers coach Tyronn Lue reacts during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers forward-center Daniel Theis (10) scores against the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  The Clippers’ Daniel Theis (10) scores against the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard James Harden dribbles the ball as Utah Jazz forward Darius Bazley defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy reacts during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Clippers, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers star Paul George takes a 3-point shot against Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers forward-center Daniel Theis looks to shoot a 3-point basket during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang, right, is defended by Clippers guard Bones Hyland during the second half of a game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang, right, is defended by Clippers guard Bones Hyland during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, left, grabs a rebound next to Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker goes up for a dunk against the Clippers during the second half of a game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (5) scores during the second half of a game against the Clippers, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard James Harden brings the ball up during the first half of the team’s game against the Utah Jazz, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker, right, drives past the Clippers’ Daniel Theis during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn dunks against the Clippers during the second half of a game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard-forward Terrance Mann, right, is defended by Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George reacts during the second half of the team’s game against the Clippers, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard Terrance Mann, center, scores in front of Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, left, and guard Talen Horton-Tucker during the first half on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

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  Clippers guard James Harden stands on the court during the first half of the team’s game against the Utah Jazz, Friday, April 5, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent)

LOS ANGELES — This was the kind of game the Clippers needed, a stress-free 48 minutes when they didn’t have Kawhi Leonard, after pulling out a tight game the previous night against the defending NBA champions.

Their 131-102 victory against the Utah Jazz on Friday night provided the Clippers with a chance to catch their breath before pushing into the final five games of the regular season, a tough stretch that includes another game Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers followed by a home/away back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns next week, and two more home games to wrap up.

“I thought we just took care of business, we didn’t play around,” All-Star Paul George said. “We came out and just had force from the beginning of the game.”

The Clippers came into this one at Crypto.com Arena having defeated the Denver Nuggets on Thursday despite a triple-double from reigning MVP Nikola Jokic in the first game of a back-to-back set. They showed the kind of defensive mindset Coach Tyronn Lue had been preaching for weeks.

The Clippers didn’t need to flex the same muscle against a young, short-handed Jazz team that started three rookies and second-year player Ömer Yurtseven. They led by 20 after eight minutes and 75-42 by halftime, giving Lue a chance to feature different lineups.

He played nine players in the first half, a low-risk move against a team that has been eliminated from postseason play. But that didn’t mean the Clippers took it easy on the Jazz; all nine players scored, and they led by as many as 38.

“Those are the toughest (games) to stay locked in on,” George said. “There was a group of (Utah) players who were out, but we just did a great job staying focused.”

Ivica Zubac said the Clippers took this game seriously despite the mismatch. The Jazz were missing four key players and came into the game having lost 10 consecutive games.

“We knew it was the second night of a back-to-back. They got a lot of guys missing (but) they’re going to have guys playing hard because of that,” Zubac said. “But from the jump, we set the tone physically. Defensively, they had a hard time scoring in that first quarter and I just liked the way we played. That third quarter was a little whatever. We relaxed a little bit, but we took care of business.”

The Jazz, who have lost 14 of their last 15 games, trimmed the lead to 22 in the third before the Clippers closed out the quarter with a high-flying dunk by Russell Westbrook and a 3-pointer by Norman Powell for a 104-79 lead.

Lue said he thought his players got a little lax after building a commanding halftime lead and wanted them to bear down defensively in the first six minutes of the third.

“I thought they (Jazz) did a good job,” Lue said. “Will Hardy (Utah coach) did a good job of adjusting, putting the five on smalls and switching the pick-and-rolls and triple-switching the big on to (Ivica) Zubac when he rolled. Just changing the game, that’s what good coaches do.”

James Harden took advantage of the inexperienced Jazz to post his third triple-double of the season (the most by a Clippers player since Lamar Odom had four in 2000-01) and the 77th of his career, putting him within one of Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA’s all-time list.

Harden finished with 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes.

Terance Mann led the Clippers with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, while Paul George had 14 points, Powell scored 18 points and Westbrook contributed 17 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Zubac finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds as eight Clippers scored in double figures. It was the Clippers’ first game with eight players in double figures since May 16, 2021, at Oklahoma City.

“I mean we got to win. We got to win and so whatever it takes to win the game and so we’re not looking at minute restrictions or resting guys,” Lue said. “We got to get to what we’re trying to get to, and the finish line is near, but we’re not finished yet. And so, whatever we got to do to win, that’s what we got to do.”

Leonard sat out his third straight game with a sore right knee.

The Jazz were without Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Talen Horton-Tucker scored a team-high 17 points, while Collin Sexton, Darius Bazley and Yurtseven each had 12 points for the Jazz, who have lost 12 consecutive road games.

With their fifth victory in their past six games, the fourth-place Clippers (49-28) increased their lead to two games over the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks (47-30) in the Western Conference standings.

The Clippers dominated from the opening tip. They had leads of 17-2, 26-7 and 36-11 on their way to a 41-16 lead after a first quarter in which they shot 74% from the field.

That sapped much of the energy out of the crowd in the first half until a fan made a half-court shot to win a trip to Mexico during a timeout in the second quarter. After the crowd settled back into their seats, the Clippers resumed dismantling the Jazz.

“I think our defense has picked up,” Lue said. “It’s been a lot of better, a lot better paying attention to detail, bringing the physicality, rebounding the ball well. But our defense has been holding us up and so I know offensively we are going to be a good team and we can make shots.

“We haven’t shot the ball as well as we wanted to, but defensively is what’s carried us over these last six or seven games.”

Zu sounds off on the W!
@Kristina_Pink@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/RBv6xgYP2p

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 6, 2024

Postgame thoughts from Coach Lue @LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/e7TfmeMhAf

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 6, 2024

Harden dime Russ slam https://t.co/FpiOYGEh2A pic.twitter.com/8HaAaWiwTx

— NBA (@NBA) April 6, 2024

Half-court shot
@Kristina_Pink@LAClippers | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/eSE0VN7iM3

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 6, 2024

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  Clippers guard Terance Mann, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Terance Mann, left, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, center, shoots as Clippers forward Paul George, left, and center Ivica Zubac defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, below, and Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. grapple for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers center Ivica Zubac looks to pass the ball in front of the Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. (1), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) and Aaron Gordon (50) during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, shoots as Clippers center Mason Plumlee defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, upper left, celebrates after dunking as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., lower left, and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Amir Coffey shoots after he was fouled by the Denver Nuggets’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, left, during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson, below, tries to shoot as Clippers guard Terance Mann defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook drives to the basket as the Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, and forward Michael Porter Jr. defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, shoots as Clippers star Paul George defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Norman Powell, second from left, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Justin Holiday, left, guard Reggie Jackson, second from left, and forward Michael Porter Jr. defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, passes as Clippers guard James Harden defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard James Harden drives around a screen set by teammate Mason Plumlee on Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers coach Tyronn Lue reacts after a timeout during the first half of their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Norman Powell scores on a layup past the Denver Nuggets’ Reggie Jackson (7) and DeAndre Jordan (6) during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard James Harden drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, left, drives as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook drives to the basket as the Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, right, celebrates after dunking as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, right, shoots as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Terance Mann drives to the basket as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and guard Reggie Jackson defend during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Norman Powell looks to pass the ball in front of the Denver Nuggets’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5), Michael Porter Jr. (1) and Christian Braun (0) during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard James Harden attempts a shot between the Denver Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon, left, and Michael Porter Jr. during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, tries to shoot as Clippers guard Russell Westbrook fouls him during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook scores in front of the Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun, left, and Nikola Jokic, right, during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts as he is fouled by Clippers guard Russell Westbrook during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, center, reacts as he is fouled by Clippers center Mason Plumlee, right, during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook reacts to his dunk in front of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and Peyton Watson during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, second from left, celebrates after dunking as Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, left, looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, left, celebrates his dunk with Amir Coffey during the second half of their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, center, celebrates his dunk between teammates Norman Powell, left, and Amir Coffey during the second half of their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson attempts a shot in front of Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, left, during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, center, shoots as Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, right, defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, center, celebrates with center Ivica Zubac, left, after scoring as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts to getting a foul called against him during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, left, shoots as Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, right, yells at referees as he receives a technical foul while Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Clippers Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers star Paul George, left, and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic chase after a loose ball during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. George had 28 points as the Clippers survived a 36-point triple-double by Jokic and held on for a 102-100 win. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic drives to the basket as Clippers center Mason Plumlee defends during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers center Ivica Zubac grabs a rebound in front of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, right, during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic attempts a shot as Clippers center Mason Plumlee defends during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts to a Nuggets basket during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic drives to the basket between the Clippers’ James Harden, right, and P.J. Tucker during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts as he is fouled by Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers forward P.J. Tucker, right, reaches for a loose ball next to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope celebrates after making a 3-point shot in front of the Clippers’ bench during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts as he shoots over the hands of Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., left, reacts as Clippers star Paul George reaches in from behind during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., second from left, rubs his head as he walks back to the bench during a timeout while Clippers star Paul George, left, guard Russell Westbrook, second from left, and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue stand in the background during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun scores between Clippers stars Russell Westbrook, right, and Paul George, left, during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center DeAndre Jordan, middle, reacts on the bench next to head coach Michael Malone, left, during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers star Paul George, left, reacts to a foul as he is consoled by James Harden during the second half of their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson drives to the basket as Clippers guard James Harden defends during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook grabs a rebound in front of the Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope argues a call with referee Aaron Smith during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts to a Nuggets foul during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun drives to the basket as Clippers guard Terance Mann defends during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic reacts as he is trapped by Clippers center Mason Plumlee, left, and guard James Harden during the second half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, argues a call with referee Josh Tiven during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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  Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, shoots and misses a last-second 3-point shot as Clippers forward P.J. Tucker, left, defends and forward Paul George watches during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 102-100. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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  Clippers guard Terance Mann looks to shoot as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon defends during the first half on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES — James Harden had just scored six consecutive points and went for another basket, but his pull-up jumper rimmed out late in the first half of Thursday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Harden shook his head.

He wanted more. He wanted to keep that feeling going.

And he did, scoring 20 points for the first time in more than a month, ending a string of single-digit games, poor shooting percentages and weeks of frustration, helping the Clippers hold off the defending NBA champions, 102-100, at Crytpo.com Arena.

“It’s like things in life. If you don’t do it, you don’t use it, it isn’t used as often as it should, then you, not forget about it,” said Harden, who had six rebounds and eight assists to go along with his points.

Harden, considered one of the best scorers of this generation, had scored in single digits in his past two games, shooting 1 for 7 on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings, who consistently blitzed the three-time league scoring champion.

The Nuggets didn’t employ the same tactic and Harden was able to shake free in the open court. He made just 6 of his 23 attempts (2 of 13 from 3-point range).

“I didn’t make shots, but it still felt good,” Harden said. “In my mind, I still got a scorer’s mentality so when I take 13 3s and if four more go in, that’s a killer game. So, shots don’t go in, but most of them were really good shots.”

With Harden working his way back into the box score, Paul George posting a team-high 28 points and Russell Westbrook providing his normal spark off the bench, the Clippers were able to pull out the close victory and leave Coach Tyronn Lue pleased with their effort.

“I just thought our rotation, our bench really came in and changed the game for us,” Lue said. “We got down early. I liked the physicality they came in with, the energy just playing on both sides, the energy they brought was good for us.

“So, you beat a good team like Denver and you shoot 37% from the field, 24% from three, they got the MVP over there and you fight and claw, you can take a win or a loss in this game because we competed, we played hard, we scrapped.”

The Clippers, playing without Kawhi Leonard, struggled to contain the Nuggets and fell behind by 17 points in the first half.

But behind a solid defensive effort in the second half and playing with the kind of energy not seen lately in Crypto.com Arena they were able to overcome a 36-point triple-double from Nuggets center Nikola Jokic to end a five-game home losing streak.

But it wasn’t easy.

After Jokic hit a 3-pointer to get Denver within 102-100 with 1:46 left in the game, Clippers center Ivica Zubac missed a layup. The Clippers got the ball back when Aaron Gordon lost the ball out of bounds with 33.1 seconds remaining, giving them a shot at padding their lead.

Harden’s final 3-point attempt, however, was short, giving the ball back to the Nuggets with five seconds left. Jokic then threw up a last-second 3-point shot from half court that missed as time expired.

The Nuggets began to chip away at an 11-point third-quarter deficit, eventually pulling to within two 94-92 on a 3-pointer by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 3:51 left to play. Denver further closed the gap to 98-97 on free throws by Jokic with 1:46 left.

But the Nuggets (53-24) couldn’t complete the comeback.

Leonard missed his second consecutive game and eighth this season, because of right knee soreness and his status for Friday’s game against the Utah Jazz was yet to be determined.

Sitting Leonard, who had surgery on the knee in 2021, could be a precautionary move considering Thursday’s game was the start of a five-in-seven run. The All-Star wing has played 68 games this season, the most he’s played since his 2016-17 All-Star season,

While the Clippers missed Leonard’s team-leading 23.7 points per game in Tuesday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings, Thursday was a different story.

They had four players in double figures, led by George, who had four rebounds to go along with his points, and Harden. Westbrook added 12 points and six assists, while Zubac had 14 points and 15 rebounds.

Norman Powell added 11 points.

“All in all, it was a good win for us,” Harden said. “The first quarter we got down and didn’t panic and the second quarter we made some shots. Defensively, we locked in.”

Lue pointed to the team’s energy and aggressiveness from Westbrook for the unlikely victory.

“Attacking the basket, getting to the free-throw line, defensively, got a couple of deflections, steals and just bringing that energy off the bench,” Lue said. “We need him to play that way. That’s how we need him to play. Having that energy, attack mindset in transition and in the halfcourt that gets us into our sets and run what we run.

“I thought he did a great job tonight of really coming off the bench and setting the tone and give us that edge we needed.”

Denver is a team the Clippers have had trouble with, having lost two of the first three meetings this season. And that certainly was the case early as the Clippers failed to find an offensive groove in the first 12 minutes.

Whatever Lue told them between quarters seemed to shake them out of their malaise as Powell, Westbrook and Amir Coffey got the Clippers back into the game with a 8-0 run to pull within 31-30 with 9:53 left in the first half.

The Clippers’ bench outscored the Nuggets’ bench 21-0 in the first half and 34-9 for the game.

Then Harden got hot, ending the hand-wringing about his recent lack of scoring. He buried a 3-pointer and then scored a 3-point play to give the Clippers a 40-37 lead.

In between two 3-pointers and a layup by Jokic, Harden added a 10-foot jumper, three foul shots after being fouled on a 3-point attempt that pushed the Clippers ahead at 48-46 with one minute left before halftime. Harden added a 3-pointer and George two free throws to close out the half ahead, 53-49.

Harden had 14 of his points in the first half.

The Nuggets, having already clinched a playoff spot, were led by Jokic, who had his 24th triple-double of the season, posting 36 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Aaron Gordon added 18 points.

“Kawhi didn’t play but they have multiple guys who can defend multiple positions. That’s why they’re so good,” Jokic said.

The Nuggets, who had won two in a row and six of eight, were without star guard Jamal Murray, who sat out the game because of inflammation in his right knee, but Denver had plenty of others who picked up the slack.

But the Nuggets had to finish the game without Coach Michael Malone, who got ejected with 7:54 left after walking on the court to argue with the officials, drawing two technical fouls.

But what awaits them now that they are back at Crypto.com Arena for six of their last seven regular-season games, a stretch that starts with Thursday’s game against the Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets?

Can they continue to play with the grit and defensive mindset they showed in victories against the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets for their first three-game winning streak since Feb. 5?

Or will they succumb to the potholes that they have struggled to avoid in front of their fans?

The Clippers (47-28) have gone 25-15 overall on the road this season and are an NBA-best 19-7 away from home since January. Only two teams among the top four in each conference have better road records.

At home, they are 22-13 after losing their last five on their home court. Outside of sleeping in their own beds, playing at home hasn’t been exactly advantageous, and they will play their remaining seven games in just 11 days with a pair of back-to-back sets.

“It’s definitely one (game) we should be up for,” All-Star Paul George said about facing the Nuggets in the Clippers’ return home. “It’s a game that we need to establish who we are.”

George added that a game against the defending NBA champion Nuggets (53-23), who will be without All-Star guard Jamal Murray (ankle sprain), will not only help solidify their refreshed defensive mindset but provide a measure of where else they need to improve in the final days of the season.

“Absolutely. These are the ones you look forward to the most, especially with the playoffs around the corner,” George said. “A matchup against a really good team we get a chance to measure we’re at going into the playoffs coming down to the wire and closing the season out.”

The Clippers got a glimpse of where they stand during the recent four-game trip. After beating the Philadelphia 76ers, they closed out the Orlando Magic two nights later after squandering two double-digit leads in the second half. Then on Sunday, the Clippers held off the Charlotte Hornets despite giving up 23 3-pointers.

“Getting a win however you’ve got to get it is the most important thing, but we’ve still got a lot to build on and get better with,” Coach Tyronn Lue said after beating Charlotte. “We’ll take the win. The Philly and the Orlando games were two good games that we needed – two gritty wins, tough wins on the road. And then tonight, just sticking with it even though we didn’t do a good job defensively.”

The 109-95 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, a game in which Kawhi Leonard didn’t play, showed the Clippers cannot rely solely on the two-time NBA Finals MVP. Leonard, who is averaging 23.7 points. 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists, missed the game because of soreness in his right knee and he will sit out again Thursday night.

The Clippers still have three other future Hall of Famers, including James Harden, who hasn’t been himself lately. For the second consecutive game, the former league MVP has made just one shot. He scored six points on 1-of-7 shooting in 31 minutes against the Kings, his lone basket a 3-pointer in the second quarter.

Harden credited the Kings’ defense for his low offensive production. Sacramento blitzed Harden consistently, which kept him from finding his spots.

“They was trapping me,” he told reporters in Sacramento. “So, just trying to find ways of being aggressive.”

Although Harden finished with eight assists and five rebounds, it’s his shooting that should be a concern for the Clippers considering Leonard’s knee issues.

Harden missed two games last month because of a strained left shoulder, which could be contributing to his lack of scoring; has not scored more than 16 points in his past nine games.

CLIPPERS VS. NUGGETS

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Crypto.com Arena

TV/radio: TNT, 570 AM

West will again be enshrined into the Hall of Fame, but this time as a contributor to the game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday.

West has already been inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player (1979) and as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team (2010).

The contributor enshrinement will honor his work as a general manager with the Lakers (1982-2000) and Memphis Grizzlies (2002-07), in addition to his time as a consultant with the Golden State Warriors (2011-17) and Clippers (2017-present).

He was named Executive of the Year twice (1995, 2004) as a GM and has totaled 10 NBA championships as an executive.

West, who is credited with being the architect of the Lakers’ dynasties during the 1980s and 2000s, was a scout for the Lakers for three seasons (1979-1982) before becoming the general manager. The Lakers drafted Magic Johnson and James Worthy, acquired Kobe Bryant, signed Shaquille O’Neal and hired Phil Jackson as the team’s head coach during West’s time as an executive with the franchise. He totaled eight NBA titles with the Lakers as an executive (1980, ’82, ’85, ’87-88, 2000-02).

He won two additional NBA championships as an executive with the Warriors (2015, ’17) before joining the Clippers in 2017. West is regularly seen sitting in a baseline seat at the Clippers’ home games.

The Class of 2024 will officially be announced on April 6 in Phoenix during the NCAA men’s Final Four, with the enshrinement taking place Aug. 16-17 in Springfield, Mass.

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook looks to shoot between Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles, left, and guard De’Aaron Fox during the second half on Tuesday night in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers star Paul George, left, tries to get past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) shoots over Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) shoots between Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, left, and guard Keon Ellis (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shoots over Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers center Daniel Theis, left, looks for an open teammate while defended by Sacramento Kings center Alex Len during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) moves the ball while defended by Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, shoots over Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, left, shoots over Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown watches during the first half of a game against the Clippers, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers center Daniel Theis (10) shoots while defended by Sacramento Kings center Alex Len (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, recovers a loose ball next to Clippers guard James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) dunks next to Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, dunks next to Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers guard James Harden, from left, passes while defended by Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) and center Alex Len (25)during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell shoots a 3-point basket against the Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell watches his 3-point basket against the Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) shoots between Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, and center Domantas Sabonis during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) tries to get past Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots over Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis moves the ball between the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, left, and Paul George during the first half on Tuesday night in Sacramento. Sabonis had 22 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Kings to a 109-95 win. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Norman Powell, second from left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis reacts after scoring against the Clippers during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) celebrates with forward Keegan Murray (13) after scoring against the Clippers during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, right, tries to get past Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) shoots while defended by Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, left, and Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) compete for possession of the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Brandon Boston Jr. during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots a 3-point basket over Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis reacts during the second half of a game against the Clippers, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) moves the ball past Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, second from left, dunks next to Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) blocks a shot by Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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  Clippers star Paul George watches from the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

By ERIC HE The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO — The Clippers’ four-game road trip ended without All-Star Kawhi Leonard and without a win.

Domantas Sabonis had 22 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, and the Sacramento Kings beat the Clippers, 109-95, on Tuesday night.

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said he hopes Leonard, who flew back to Los Angeles for treatment on a sore knee after playing on Sunday at Charlotte and has stayed relatively healthy this season, will be available Thursday night against Western Conference-leading Denver.

Russell Westbrook led the Clippers with 20 points. Paul George had 18 and Norman Powell, starting for Leonard, scored 17.

Lue liked his team’s defense and intent, but he said the Clippers couldn’t rebound or make shots when they needed to. The Clippers had won the first three games of a four-game trip before Tuesday’s loss.

“I want us to play like we have the last four games,” Lue said.

The Kings moved within one game of sixth-place New Orleans in the Western Conference as they seek to avoid the play-in tournament. Sacramento (44-31) is tied with Phoenix with seven games left, including a four-game trip that begins Thursday at New York.

The Clippers are fourth in the West. Sacramento held the Clippers below 100 points for just the fifth time this season.

“This is how you win in the playoffs,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “You don’t win in the playoffs averaging 125 points a game and think that’s how you’re going to win.”

De’Aaron Fox added 20 points and seven assists for the Kings, and Keegan Murray had 19 points.

“We were being aggressive,” forward Trey Lyles said. “We were talking. We were covering for one another. We were getting to their shooters. And we followed the game plan, basically, to a tee tonight. When we’re capable (of doing that), when we’re five guys on a string, we’re hard to score on.”

Guard Davion Mitchell said the Kings embraced the physicality on defense. They blitzed future Hall of Famer James Harden, who had six points on 1-of-7 shooting in 31 minutes, and forced him to go right. They showed different looks at All-Star Paul George, who scored 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting after he had 41 points during Sunday’s win at Charlotte.

“We’re just getting ready for the playoffs,” Mitchell said.

Sacramento led by just five at halftime but outscored the Clippers 35-19 in the third quarter, with Sabonis scoring nine in the period.

Murray had one of the biggest highlights of the third with an emphatic dunk off a Clippers turnover on a fast break.

Neither Ivica Zubac nor Westbrook joined their teammates down the court on offense after the Kings committed a turnover, and when the Clippers gave it right back, Murray hesitated before slamming it on Zubac with his right hand to put the Kings ahead, 76-62.

“Keegan’s starting to get a little wiggle now,” said Brown, who has been pushing for the second-year forward to be more aggressive.

He added: “It’s about time.”

Sacramento scored the last seven of the quarter, with a dunk by Alex Len giving the Kings a 91-70 lead heading into the fourth.

Sacramento led by 16 after a 20-4 run in the second quarter. Davion Mitchell had 14 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers. But the Clippers cut the deficit to 56-51 at halftime.

UP NEXT

The Clippers host Denver on Thursday at 7 p.m.

More to come on this story.