Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, left, reaches for a shot by Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during the second half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers center Brook Lopez, right, reaches in an attempt to block a shot by Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith during the first half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers guard Kobe Brown dunks during the first half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, left, reacts toward an official (20) during the first half of a game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff, left, and Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. battle for a rebound during the first half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers forward John Collins reacts to a call during the first half of a game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers center Brook Lopez, left, attempts to block a shot by Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith during the first half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle reacts during the first half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers guard Darius Garland, left, reaches to block a pass by Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith during the first half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., left, blocks a pass by Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson during the first half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) and Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5) chase the ball during the first half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff (32) looks to pass the ball while defended by Clippers center Brook Lopez during the second half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers guard Kobe Brown (24) dunks during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) drives toward the basket while defended by Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., right, during the second half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) goes up to dunk during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson (29) attempts to steal the ball away from Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) during the second half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) dunks during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson, right, makes a move around Clippers forward John Collins (20) during the second half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers guard Aaron Nesmith (23) reacts after scoring during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, left, and Indiana Pacers guard Kobe Brown reach for a rebound during the second half on Friday night in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Indiana Pacers center Micah Potter (11) dunks during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
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Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, left, reaches for a shot by Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during the second half on Friday, March 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
INDIANAPOLIS — The Clippers spent much of the first half getting run off the court by the team with the worst record in the NBA, but they eventually regrouped behind Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland.
Leonard made a jumper from just inside the free-throw line with 0.4 seconds remaining, and the Clippers rallied from a 24-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers, 114-113, on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Darius Garland led the Clippers (38-36) with 30 points and Leonard finished with 28, scoring at least 20 for the 50th consecutive game.
The Pacers (16-58) shot a sizzling 8 for 11 from 3-point range in the first quarter, opening a 42-21 lead. The margin grew to 45-21 early in the second quarter before the Clippers stormed back for their fourth straight victory, giving Coach Tyronn Lue the 400th win of his career.
Indiana had gone back ahead 113-108 on Obi Toppin’s jumper with a minute to play. Leonard answered with a jumper, Garland made two free throws and the Clippers got the ball back after Pascal Siakam missed a jumper with less than 10 seconds left. They inbounded along the left side to Leonard, who dribbled into the middle and pulled up for the mid-range winner.
KAWHI LEONARD. FADEAWAY. GAME. 🚨
His 50th straight 20-point game… and he ends it like THAT. pic.twitter.com/AizY1RcM4b
— NBA (@NBA) March 28, 2026
Leonard become the 14th NBA player to score at least 20 points in 50 straight games, a streak that began Nov. 28.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 17 points off the bench against his former team, going 12 for 15 from the free-throw line. Brook Lopez added 16 points.
The Clippers are currently in eighth place in the Western Conference standings with eight games left in the regular season, almost certain to end up in the four-team Play-In Tournament (seeds 7-10) with Phoenix, Portland and Golden State, battling for the right to earn the seventh or eighth seed and a spot in a best-of-seven first-round playoff series against either Oklahoma City or San Antonio.
The Clippers cut their 10-point halftime deficit in half on Garland’s layup with 7:52 remaining in the third quarter. Ben Sheppard’s layup opened the cushion back up to nine, but the Clippers closed the gap to two after three quarters.
The Clippers tied the score with 6:13 left in the fourth on Mathurin’s layup, before layups from Toppin and Siakam gave the Pacers a 105-101 lead.
Garland and Toppin then traded 3-pointers, before Aaron Nesmith’s fourth 3-pointer gave the Pacers a 111-105 edge at the 1:28 mark.
Leonard’s floater was followed by Nesmith’s 3-point miss and Garland’s two free throws, cutting Indiana’s lead to one. After Siakam’s missed jumper, the Clippers grabbed the rebound and called a timeout, leading to Leonard’s mid-ranger.
From there, Andrew Nembhard threw the ensuing inbounds pass away before Nesmith fouled Mathurin, who missed both free throws. The frenetic finish continued as Indiana then had another chance, this time with 0.1 seconds left. On the inbounds pass, Jay Huff was fouled by Lopez.
Huff then missed both free throws to seal the bizarre ending.
Nesmith scored 26 points and Toppin had 20 for the Pacers, who have dropped two in a row since the victory that snapped their 16-game winning streak. Nembhard chipped in 13 points and 10 assists, while Micah Potter also scored 13. Siakam and Kobe Brown finished with 11 points apiece.
Indiana’s early 13-0 run was stamped by Brown’s layup to give the Pacers a 21-11 lead. After a Leonard 3-pointer cut into the run, Quenton Jackson’s five straight points began a 16-4 surge, pushing Indiana’s advantage to 37-18.
The Clippers pulled within 12 at the 3:45 mark of the second quarter after back-to-back baskets from Leonard. After a Siakam jumper pushed the margin back to 18, Mathurin scored six points during an 8-0 Clipper run to finish the first half, slicing their halftime deficit to 60-50.
UP NEXT
The Clippers play at Milwaukee on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. PT.