Game ID: 22500935
New York Knicks @ LA Clippers
Monday, March 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM ET
Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
LAC 28 36 24 38 126NYK 24 31 26 37 118
LAC vs NYK ScoutingLAC vs NYK Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
LAC availability going into 3/02 · back-to-backBACK Collins back 3/01 after 2, 25 min since (91% of 27)
BACK Sanders back 2/22 after 2, 17 min since (84% of 20)
BACK Bogdanović back 2/26 after 7, 17 min since (87% of 20)
BACK Batum back 2/19 after 2, 18 min since (105% of 18)
BACK Jackson back 3/01 after 3, 4 min since (27% of 16)
NEW Jones Jr. 27 to 33 min over the last 5
NEW Lopez 22 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Niederhäuser 10 to 18 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 3/04 · 1 day's restOUT Bogdanović missed 2 since 3/01, out tonight
BACK Collins back 3/01 after 2, 25 min since (91% of 27)
BACK Sanders back 2/22 after 2, 18 min since (90% of 20)
BACK Jackson back 3/01 after 3, 4 min since (27% of 16)
NEW Lopez 22 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Niederhäuser 10 to 19 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 3/06 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 2 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Bogdanović missed 3 since 3/01, out tonight
BACK Sanders back 2/22 after 2, 19 min since (93% of 20)
BACK Jackson back 3/01 after 3, 11 min since (71% of 16)
NEW Niederhäuser 10 to 18 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 3/07 · back-to-backOUT Collins missed 3 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Bogdanović missed 4 since 3/01, out tonight
BACK Jackson back 3/01 after 3, 12 min since (77% of 16)
NEW Lopez 22 to 27 min over the last 5
NEW Niederhäuser 10 to 16 min over the last 4
LAC availability going into 3/09 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 4 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Bogdanović missed 5 since 3/01, out tonight
BACK Jackson back 3/01 after 3, 15 min since (97% of 16)
NEW Miller 22 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Niederhäuser 10 to 16 min over the last 3
LAC availability going into 3/11 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 5 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Bogdanović missed 6 since 3/01, out tonight
LAC availability going into 3/13 · 1 day's restOUT Collins missed 6 since 3/02, out tonight
OUT Bogdanović missed 7 since 3/01, out tonight
LAC availability going into 3/14 · back-to-backOUT Collins missed 7 since 3/02, returns tonight: 20 min (74% of 27)
OUT Bogdanović missed 8 since 3/01, out tonight
NEW Jones Jr. 27 to 32 min over the last 5
LAC availability going into 3/16 · 1 day's restOUT Bogdanović missed 9 since 3/01, out tonight
BACK Collins back 3/14 after 7, 20 min since (74% of 27)
NYK availability going into 3/03 · 1 day's restOUT McBride missed 15 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Clarkson back 2/24 after 3, 4 min since (22% of 16)
BACK Kolek back 2/24 after 3, 4 min since (32% of 11)
NEW Alvarado 14 to 19 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 3/04 · back-to-backOUT McBride missed 16 since 1/28, out tonight
OUT Clarkson missed 2 since 3/01, out tonight
BACK Kolek back 2/24 after 3, 3 min since (26% of 11)
NYK availability going into 3/06 · 1 day's restOUT McBride missed 17 since 1/28, out tonight
OUT Clarkson missed 3 since 3/01, returns tonight: 7 min (43% of 16)
BACK Kolek back 2/24 after 3, 3 min since (26% of 11)
NYK availability going into 3/08 · 1 day's restOUT McBride missed 18 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Clarkson back 3/06 after 3, 7 min since (43% of 16)
NYK availability going into 3/09 · back-to-backOUT McBride missed 19 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Clarkson back 3/06 after 3, 9 min since (52% of 16)
NYK availability going into 3/11 · 1 day's restOUT McBride missed 20 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Clarkson back 3/06 after 3, 7 min since (41% of 16)
NYK availability going into 3/13 · 1 day's restOUT McBride missed 21 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Clarkson back 3/06 after 3, 12 min since (71% of 16)
NYK availability going into 3/15 · 1 day's restOUT Hart missed 2 since 3/11, returns tonight: 31 min (100% of 31)
OUT McBride missed 22 since 1/28, out tonight
BACK Clarkson back 3/06 after 3, 13 min since (80% of 16)
NEW Shamet 21 to 27 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 3/17 · 1 day's restOUT McBride missed 23 since 1/28, out tonight
OUT Kolek missed 2 since 3/13, returns tonight: 21 min (193% of 11)
BACK Hart back 3/15 after 2, 31 min since (100% of 31)
NEW Shamet 21 to 29 min over the last 5
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 112, shooting 52 percent and 36 from three, 28 free throws a game; Leonard at 27 and Mathurin at 16 a game. Without Collins (4 straight), Bogdanović (5 straight). One day's rest. New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 100, shooting 49 percent and 34 from three, 19 free throws a game; Brunson at 20 and Towns at 18 a game. It has won the glass by 12 a night. Without McBride (19 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-12 a night and the Clippers plus-3 and the defense, New York allowing 100 a night to the Clippers' 112. Call it the Clippers 114, New York 111, New York keeping it close.
3/02 @ GSW 114-101 — LAC notes
LAC won 114-101. LAC shot 49% (42 of 85) to GSW's 39%, 9 of 31 from three, and went to the line 23 times to GSW's 17 — 21 points from the stripe to their 12. The glass went 52-40 for them. Leonard led with 23 (9 of 14, 3 of 6 from three); Mathurin added 17, Dunn 16. The hinge was Q4, 37-22: LAC came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 13, and the lead reached 17. LAC trailed 42-56 at the half and won the second half 72-45. Dunn was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
3/04 vs IND 130-107 — LAC notes
LAC won 130-107. LAC shot 55% (49 of 89) to IND's 43%, 12 of 32 from three, and got to the line 25 times to IND's 31. Leonard led with 29 (10 of 18, 3 of 7 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Mathurin added 23, Lopez 17. The hinge was Q1, 42-25: from level to 17 ahead, and the lead reached 37. Mathurin was the night's best plus/minus at +32.
3/06 @ SAS 112-116 — LAC notes
LAC lost 112-116. LAC shot 49% (42 of 86) to SAS's 48%, 12 of 33 from three, and went to the line 20 times to SAS's 14 — 16 points from the stripe to their 7. The glass went 41-52 against them. Leonard led with 30 (10 of 20, 1 of 6 from three, 9 of 10 at the line); Lopez added 26, Jones Jr. 12. Q2 was theirs, 34-21, but the other 3 periods went 95-78 against them. They led by as many as 25. Dunn's -12 in 31 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/07 @ MEM 123-120 — LAC notes
LAC won 123-120. LAC shot 50% (41 of 82) to MEM's 48%, 4 of 17 from three, and went to the line 45 times to MEM's 24 — 37 points from the stripe to their 20. The glass went 44-34 for them. Leonard led with 28 (8 of 15, 0 of 3 from three, 12 of 14 at the line); Mathurin added 21, Garland 21. The hinge was Q2, 35-18: the deficit went from 18 to 1. LAC trailed 58-59 at the half and won the second half 65-61. Jones Jr. was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
3/09 vs NYK 126-118 — LAC notes
LAC won 126-118. LAC shot 46% (43 of 93) to NYK's 51%, 18 of 39 from three, and went to the line 26 times to NYK's 16 — 22 points from the stripe to their 12. LAC turned it over 8 times to NYK's 19. The glass went 36-51 against them. Leonard led with 29 (10 of 19, 2 of 5 from three, 7 of 7 at the line); Mathurin added 28, Garland 23. The hinge was Q2, 36-31: a lead of 4 became 9, and the lead reached 15. Leonard was the night's best plus/minus at +26.
3/11 vs MIN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 112, shooting 50 percent and 36 from three, 28 free throws a game; Leonard at 28 and Mathurin at 19 a game. Without Collins (5 straight), Bogdanović (6 straight). One day's rest. Minnesota comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 113, shooting 47 percent and 31 from three, 27 free throws a game; Edwards at 26 and Randle at 16 a game. Without Conley (5 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 36 percent from three to Minnesota's 31. Call it the Clippers 117, Minnesota 111.
3/13 vs CHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 129 a night and allowing 118, shooting 53 percent and 41 from three, 30 free throws a game; Leonard at 32 and Mathurin at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Collins (6 straight), Bogdanović (7 straight). One day's rest. Chicago comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 122, shooting 46 percent and 35 from three, 22 free throws a game; Sexton at 26 and Buzelis at 24 a game. Without Simons (9 straight), Okoro (2 straight), Sexton (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 41 percent from three to Chicago's 35 and the line, where the Clippers take 30 free throws a game to Chicago's 22. Call it the Clippers 123, Chicago 114.
3/14 vs SAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 118, shooting 51 percent and 39 from three, 30 free throws a game; Leonard at 32 and Garland at 22 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Collins (7 straight), Bogdanović (8 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 117, shooting 48 percent and 31 from three, 22 free throws a game; DeRozan at 21 and Westbrook at 18 a game. Without Murray (7 straight), LaVine (14 straight), Hunter (14 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 39 percent from three to Sacramento's 31 and the line, where the Clippers take 30 free throws a game to Sacramento's 22. Call it the Clippers 120, Sacramento 113.
3/16 vs SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 118, shooting 51 percent and 39 from three, 32 free throws a game; Leonard at 32 and Mathurin at 24 a game. Without Bogdanović (9 straight). One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 117, shooting 50 percent and 42 from three, 24 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 32 and Fox at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. One day's rest.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the glass, where San Antonio has been plus-6 a night and the Clippers minus-4 and the line, where the Clippers take 32 free throws a game to San Antonio's 24. Call it the Clippers 119, San Antonio 118, San Antonio keeping it close.
3/03 @ TOR 111-95 — NYK notes
NYK won 111-95. NYK shot 57% (46 of 81) to TOR's 45%, 10 of 29 from three, and got to the line 12 times to TOR's 19. The glass went 43-28 for them. Brunson led with 26 (10 of 22, 2 of 7 from three); Towns added 21, Anunoby 15. The hinge was Q4, 24-13: a lead of 5 became 16. Alvarado was the night's best plus/minus at +19.
3/04 vs OKC 100-103 — NYK notes
NYK lost 100-103. NYK took 15 more shots (88 to 73), fed by 12 offensive rebounds, but shot 42% to OKC's 45%, 10 of 35 from three. The glass went 48-38 for them. Towns led with 17 (7 of 8); Brunson added 16, Anunoby 16. Q3 was theirs, 40-27, turning a 10-point deficit into a 3-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 76-60 against them. Towns's -18 in 33 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/06 @ DEN 142-103 — NYK notes
NYK won 142-103. NYK shot 58% (55 of 95) to DEN's 45%, 16 of 34 from three, and got to the line 21 times to DEN's 30. NYK turned it over 10 times to DEN's 15. The glass went 50-31 for them. Anunoby led with 34 (11 of 17, 6 of 11 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Hart added 18, Towns 17. The hinge was Q2, 38-23: NYK came in trailing by 2 and left it ahead by 13, and the lead reached 42. Shamet was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
3/08 @ LAL 97-110 — NYK notes
NYK lost 97-110. NYK shot 43% (35 of 82) to LAL's 43%, 8 of 34 from three, and got to the line 21 times to LAL's 30. NYK turned it over 18 times to LAL's 13, and LAL turned those into 10 steals. Towns led with 25 (8 of 17, 1 of 5 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Brunson added 24, Anunoby 13. Q4 was theirs, 28-22, the deficit cut from 19 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 88-69 against them. Shamet's -18 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/09 @ LAC 118-126 — NYK notes
NYK lost 118-126. NYK shot 51% (46 of 90) to LAC's 46%, 14 of 40 from three, and got to the line 16 times to LAC's 26. NYK turned it over 19 times to LAC's 8, and LAC turned those into 12 steals. The glass went 51-36 for them. Towns led with 35 (13 of 17, 3 of 4 from three, 6 of 8 at the line); Brunson added 28, Anunoby 22. Q3 was theirs, 26-24, the deficit cut from 9 to 7, but the other 3 periods went 102-92 against them. Bridges's -17 in 26 minutes was the worst on the floor.
3/11 @ UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Utah comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 115, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; George at 26 and Collier at 18 a game. Without Kessler (60 straight), Collier (2 straight), Mykhailiuk (4 straight). One day's rest. New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 107, shooting 50 percent and 34 from three, 18 free throws a game; Towns at 23 and Brunson at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 13 a night. Without McBride (20 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-13 a night and Utah plus-1 and the defense, New York allowing 107 a night to Utah's 115. Call it New York 117, Utah 113, Utah keeping it close.
3/13 @ IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 125, shooting 44 percent and 29 from three, 25 free throws a game; Siakam at 26 and Nembhard at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Siakam (2 straight), McConnell (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 20 free throws a game; Towns at 23 and Anunoby at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 11 a night. Without McBride (21 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-11 a night and Indiana minus-7 and the defense, New York allowing 112 a night to Indiana's 125. Call it New York 119, Indiana 112.
3/15 vs GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 110, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 21 free throws a game; Towns at 24 and Brunson at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 11 a night. Without Hart (2 straight), McBride (22 straight). One day's rest. Golden State comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 119, shooting 43 percent and 33 from three, 19 free throws a game; Melton at 19 and Podziemski at 18 a game. That is 4 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Ste. Curry (16 straight), Moody (5 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-11 a night and Golden State minus-5 and the defense, New York allowing 110 a night to Golden State's 119. Call it New York 118, Golden State 111.
3/17 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 110, shooting 47 percent and 33 from three, 21 free throws a game; Brunson at 28 and Towns at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without McBride (23 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 121, shooting 44 percent and 34 from three, 22 free throws a game; Nesmith at 20 and Nembhard at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Siakam (4 straight), Thompson (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-9 a night and Indiana minus-6 and the defense, New York allowing 110 a night to Indiana's 121. Call it New York 119, Indiana 108, New York by 11.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
LACBL B. Lopez
BM B. Mathurin
DG D. Garland
DJ D. Jones Jr.
IJ I. Jackson
JM J. Miller
KD K. Dunn
KL K. Leonard
NB N. Batum
NYKAH A. Hukporti
JA J. Alvarado
JB J. Brunson
JC J. Clarkson
JH J. Hart
KT K. Towns
LS L. Shamet
MB M. Bridges
MD M. Diawara
OA O. Anunoby
TK T. Kolek
LAC/NYK the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Leonard powers the Clippers past the Knicks to reach .500 for the first time since November
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- — Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 28 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the New York Knicks 126-118 on Monday night to climb back to .500 for the first time since early November.
The Clippers are 32-32 and have won five of their first six games in March as they try to improve their potential position in the NBA Play-in Tournament. They began the season in a 6-21 tailspin.
It was Leonard's 42nd straight game with 20-plus points, the second-longest active streak in the NBA and third-longest in team history.
Mathurin scored 22 in the second half off the bench as one of five Clippers in double figures. Darius Garland had 23 points and seven assists in his second start.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 35 points on 13-of-17 shooting, 12 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out in the final seconds. Jalen Brunson added 28 points and OG Anunoby had 22 points.
Buoyed by chants of “Let's go Knicks!” at Intuit Dome, New York cut its deficit from 15 points with a 17-9 run, including six in a row from Brunson, to go into the fourth trailing 88-81.
The Knicks three times closed within five over the final four minutes. But the Clippers controlled the final two minutes, helped by Mathurin's three-point play and a 3-pointer by Derrick Jones Jr ..
Standing third in the Eastern Conference race, the Knicks split the season series with the Clippers, and have not beaten them in Los Angeles since 2022. New York has dropped three of four.
The Clippers opened the game by making four consecutive 3-pointers and led most of the first half, which ended in a scoring duel between Leonard and Towns. Leonard scored 10 in a row for the Clippers and Towns had eight straight for the Knicks, who trailed 64-55 at the break.
Up next Knicks: Visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
Clippers: Host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.