SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — James Harden had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and the Los Angeles Clippers held off a late flurry in the final two minutes and beat the Sacramento Kings 101-100 on Friday night.
Ivica Zubic had 17 points and 10 rebounds to help the Clippers win their seventh straight. Norman Powell added 16 points.
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Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after making a 3-point basket the buzzer during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots at the buzzer against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dunks past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
With one regular-season game remaining the Clippers are tied with the Denver Nuggets at 49-32 for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
The Clippers led comfortably most of the game until the Kings surged in the fourth quarter and got within 100-98 with 1:04 minutes remaining. After Sacramento's Zach LaVine made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, the Kings stole the inbounds pass. But DeMar DeRozan’s contested 3-point try at the buzzer clanged off the backboard.
DeRozan scored 16 points and moved past Reggie Miller into 25th place on the NBA’s career scoring list.
LaVine had 26 points for the Kings, while Domantas Sabonis had 19 points and 16 rebounds.
Sabonis became the sixth player since the ABA/NBA merger to have 60 or more double-doubles for three consecutive seasons, joining Moses Malone, John Stockton, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard.
With the Kings trailing 84-80 in the fourth quarter, interim coach Doug Christie had to be restrained and picked up a technical foul after rookie Devin Carter was called for a defensive foul despite replays showing Harden’s arm hitting Carter in the head.
Leonard scored more points in the first half (20) than he did total in 13 of the previous 35 games that he played this season.
The Clippers play at Golden State on Sunday. The Kings host the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) reacts after making a 3-point basket the buzzer during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots at the buzzer against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Sacramento Kings guard Devin Carter dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) dunks past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 11, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — For everything he’s done since his celebrated arrival in 2016, Auston Matthews can’t change the Toronto Maple Leafs’ history of early round playoff collapses.
Perhaps, a better future lies directly ahead for a team playing a more responsible defensive style under new coach Craig Berube, and after Toronto secured several individual and franchise achievements in clinching its first Atlantic Division title with a 4-0 win at Buffalo on Tuesday night.
“I think we’re prepared,” Matthews said after scoring his 400th career goal.
“Obviously, we can’t change what’s happened in the past. I think you wear that,” the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL draft added. “So I feel really confident in this group. I think we put in a lot of work over the season. Obviously, earning the division here is a big step for us. But we just want to continue to push forward.”
With the victory, Toronto (51-26-4) won its team-record 25th road game and, with one game left, is guaranteed to finish with its second-most wins and third-most points. In the meantime, Mitch Marner set a career-high with his 100th point, while goalie Anthony Stolarz stopped 35 shots to extend his career-best winning streak to eight.
In securing the Eastern Conference’s second seed, Toronto will face provincial rival Ottawa in the first round and rekindle the so-called “Battle of Ontario.” The Maple Leafs have won all four playoff series meetings against the Senators, the most recent a seven-game first-round win in 2004.
Toronto, however, is also carrying the weight of its more recent playoff history. The team has advanced past the first round just once — a 4-2 series win over Tampa Bay in 2023 — in its past nine postseason appearances.
What’s different is how the Maple Leafs are playing in riding a 12-2-1 run, including a nine-game stretch in which they’ve won eight times while outscoring opponents by a combined margin of 28-12.
“The whole season’s a learning curve, especially with a new coach coming in, new systems. It’s different from the style of play that this team’s played with in previous seasons,” said forward Steven Lorentz, who signed with Toronto after winning a Stanley Cup with Florida last year .
“It might not be as exciting when you win the game 2-1 rather than 7-6,” Lorentz added. “But you know, that’s championship hockey and that’s what it takes if you want to play into June.”
The Maple Leafs certainly haven’t lost their offensive touch. With 263 goals, Toronto is closing in on finishing its ninth straight season ranked among the NHL’s top 10.
What’s changed is the team’s goals-against numbers. The Maple Leafs enter their final game ranked 10th in the NHL in allowing 226 goals. Only twice over the past nine seasons have they finished with a better ranking.
The players credit their goaltending tandem that includes Joseph Woll, and with Stolarz picking up his fourth shutout of the season, third in four starts, and 12th of his career.
“He was lights out last year,” Lorentz said of Stolarz, who also spent last season in Florida. “He just brings it. He’s a gamer. He doesn’t take anything super seriously. And I think that’s what makes him so good.”
Stolarz placed the emphasis on how the team’s playing soundly in front of him.
“I feel good, but I think at the end of the day, the guys are really committing to a complete two-way game up and down the ice,” the 31-year-old said. “It’s what it’s gonna take to go far in the playoffs. I just think that we have to continue this trend.”
Berube, who won a Cup coaching the St. Louis Blues in 2019, said the key to this season has been the buy-in from players.
“You’re always trying to work on your identity. And that hasn’t stopped throughout the season,” he said.
“I think our guys have done a good job of it,” Berube added. “So yeah, I think we’re in a good spot, but we’ve got to keep making sure we’re pounding away at it and keep working on it and be ready to go.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) celebrates his goal with center Auston Matthews (34) and left wing Matthew Knies (23) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) makes a blocker save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his goal with left wing Scott Laughton (24) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Steven Lorentz (18) celebrates his goal with left wing Scott Laughton (24) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) celebrates his goal with goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Tuesday, April 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
