James Harden, Kawhi Leonard lead Clippers over Grizzlies 128-120 for fifth straight win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden scored 30 points, Kawhi Leonard added 23 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers used a big second half to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-108 on Friday night for their fifth straight win.

Ivica Zubac had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Bogdan Bogdanovic added 16 points for Los Angeles. The Clippers scored 68 points in the second half to turn a six-point halftime deficit into a 20-point victory.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 23 points to lead the Grizzlies, who lost their third straight. Santi Aldama added 16 points and Scotty Pippen Jr. and Luke Kennard each had 15 points.

The Clippers were without head coach Tyronn Lue (back pain) for the fifth time in seven games. They improved for 4-1 under assistant coach Brian Shaw.

Grizzlies: Memphis continues to struggle without Ja Morant, who missed his fourth straight game with a left hamstring injury. The Grizzlies fell to 15-13 without Morant this season, compared to 28-15 with him.

Clippers: Los Angeles is peaking at the right time. The Clippers have won eight of their last nine games to surge up the Western Conference standings and sit just one game back of Golden State to avoid the play-in tournament.

Trailing 66-60 at halftime, the Clippers opened the second half on a 19-5 run to take the lead for good. Leonard, Zubac and Bogdanovic and Norman Powell all made multiple field goals during the spurt as Memphis struggled to defend the Clippers’ balanced attack.

The Clippers improved to 3-0 against the Grizzlies this season and have won six straight against them.

Grizzlies visit Utah on Tuesday while Clippers host Oklahoma City on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr., right, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, right, is hit in the face by Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. as he tries to drive by during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, left, shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, center, shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr., left, and guard Luke Kennard defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, center, shoots as Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Williams Jr., left, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Monday faced a no-confidence motion in parliament as the opposition alleged she was being unduly influenced by her father, a former prime minister, and is mismanaging the country.

Paetongtarn, who took office last year, is expected to survive her first no-confidence vote on Wednesday with the backing of her ruling coalition that makes up the majority of the House of Representatives.

The head of the opposition in parliament, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, said Paetongtarn had failed to address many of the country’s chronic problems including the slumping economy, air pollution, crimes and corruption. He said her administration was serving the interests of her family and her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a popular but highly controversial political figure.

Paetongtarn heads the Pheu Thai Party, the latest in a string of populist parties affiliated with Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, fled into exile and recently returned to Thailand. Thaksin has been at the heart of nearly two decades of deep political divisions pitting a mostly poor, rural majority that supported him against royalists, the military and their urban backers, who accuse him of threatening their status and that of the revered monarchy.

Natthapong is the leader of the People’s Party, a resurrection of the progressive, reformist Move Forward Party, which took the most seats in the general election in 2023 but failed to take power due to strong opposition from the conservative establishment, and was ordered dissolved.

Natthapong said the formation of the ruling coalition, which saw Pheu Thai partner with its former conservative rivals, was part of the political bargain to bring Thaksin home.

Paetongtarn was also accused by Prawit Wongsuwan, head of the Palang Pracharath Party, Pheu Thai’s former coalition partner, of falsely declaring her assets, which she denied.

House Speaker of Parliament Wan Muhamad Noor Matha speaks during a no-confidence debate against Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, left, and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra react during a no-confidence debate against the prime minister at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Leader of People's Party, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut speaks during a no-confidence debate against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at the Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, left, and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra greet to lawmakers during a no-confidence debate against the prime minister at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, center, answers questions from reporters on her arrival at the Parliament before a no-confidence debate in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, left, and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra greet to lawmakers before a no-confidence debate against the prime minister at Parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, center, answers questions from reporters on her arrival at the Parliament before a no-confidence debate against the prime minister in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)