INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Intuit Dome erupted as Kawhi Leonard drained a 22-foot jumper at the buzzer, giving the Los Angeles Clippers a thrilling 126-124 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The win marked the team’s first NBA Cup game of the season and kept them above .500 at 3-2.

With the game tied at 124 and just 9.6 seconds remaining, the Clippers put the ball in Leonard’s hands. He received the pass from James Harden above the arc, gave a subtle pump fake to get defender Jeremiah Fears off his feet, then rose up for the game-winner. The shot barely touched the rim, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

“We had too many opportunities to put the game away, especially in the second half and we just allowed them to come back and make shots,” Harden said after the game. “Defensively, we had some really good possessions where we played 22 seconds of great defense and then foul at the end. So, we just got to be more disciplined to finish possessions off. But all in all, you are happy to come out with a win.”

Leonard and Harden Lead the Charge

Leonard finished with a game-high 34 points on an efficient 11-of-16 shooting from the field, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. He also added five rebounds, five assists, and six steals while going a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. At one point in the fourth quarter, Leonard scored 12 straight points over a three-minute stretch to keep the Clippers ahead.

Harden was equally impressive, recording his third double-double of the season with 24 points and a game-high 14 assists. He was especially effective in the second quarter, scoring 14 points and with five assists in that period alone to help the Clippers take a 67-59 halftime lead.

Ivica Zubac contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Derrick Jones Jr. added 16 points off the bench.

The Clippers got a boost with the return of Bradley Beal, who had missed the previous two games with back soreness. While his offensive numbers won’t wow anyone, his presence alone helped stabilize the rotation after a rough loss to Golden State earlier in the week.

The Pelicans dropped to 0-5 despite strong performances from Zion Williamson, who had 29 points and six rebounds, and Jordan Poole, who led the Pelicans with 30 points off the bench. New Orleans shot an impressive 48.6 percent from three-point range, making 18 of 37 attempts, but couldn’t overcome Leonard’s heroics.

Coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged the defensive lapses that nearly cost his team the game. “You’re going to miss or make shots, but I think defensively we got to make sure that we understand what we’re doing,” Lue said. “Tonight, defensively, I don’t think we did a good job of that, especially in the fourth quarter.”

The Clippers improved to 3-0 at home this season and will look to build on this momentum when they host the Miami Heat on Monday.