The Los Angeles Clippers were not expected to do much this season after a disastrous start, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings as one of the league’s most injured teams. 

Starting the season without key players and dealing with setback after setback, expectations were low for this group as of late. 

However, they’ve shown signs of life and now have some wins to back it up.

For the first time THIS SEASON

The LA Clippers have won 3 straight games

And for the first time since Week 1

The LA Clippers came back from a double-digit deficit

Final score: Clippers 119, Portland 103. 2nd straight game with 20 3s after NONE in first 28 games.

— Law Murray 🎄 (@LawMurrayTheNU) December 27, 2025

Los Angeles grabbed their third win in a row on Friday night for the first time all season, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 119-103 at Moda Center. 

Despite the team’s difficult 9-21 start to the year, the Clippers took care of business against a Portland squad that has now dropped three games in a row.

After the game, star forward Kawhi Leonard pointed to the team’s three-point shooting as a major factor in the victory, specifically highlighting Brook Lopez and his historic night.

“Making those 9 3s tonight. It’s been a big emphasis for us, is just getting up more 3s, making more 3s, and he helped us out tonight with that,” Leonard said.

Lopez’s nine made three-pointers set a new career high for the veteran center, who has been thrust into a bigger role with Ivica Zubac sidelined due to a Grade 2 ankle sprain. 

Brook Lopez also became the third player in NBA history with nine three-pointers in a game after turning 37, joining Steph Curry and LeBron James. Yes, that is a real stat from a real Clipper game. 

The 36-year-old big man caught fire in his second start of the season and gave Los Angeles exactly what they needed from deep.

Leonard and James Harden have continued to be the driving forces behind whatever success the Clippers can muster this season. 

Leonard entered the night averaging 26.1 points per game, while Harden was putting up 26.0 points and 8.1 assists.

Both stars delivered again on Friday, leading the offense and keep the Clippers in control for most of the second half. 

They combined for 62 points on Friday night and were instrumental in keeping the lead for the Clippers down the stretch.

Per OptaStats, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Brook Lopez are the first trio of teammates 34 or older to score 25+ points in the same game in NBA history.

Leonard has now scored 20 or more points in 12 straight games, while Harden continues to run the offense at a high level despite the team’s struggles.

The Trail Blazers (12-19) gave the Clippers a fight in the first half, using their pace and energy to keep things close at the break, with Portland holding a 62-56 lead. 

But Los Angeles came out of the locker room with a purpose, outscoring Portland in the second half and pulling away down the stretch.

The Clippers locked in defensively and found their rhythm from beyond the arc, with Leonard and Harden leading the charge in the third and fourth quarters. 

They closed the 3rd quarter on a 23-6 run, per Amazon, and it was an avalanche of energy, focus, and defensive intensity that the Clippers have not seen much of this season. 

With the win, the Clippers improve to 9-21 on the season, while the Trail Blazers fall to 12-19 and have now lost three in a row. 

The Clippers will now return home for five straight games at the Intuit Dome, hoping to build on this momentum and make a push up the standings.