Kawhi Leonard leads Clippers past Warriors 103-102 in wild game with Kerr ejected, Curry fouled out

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard had 24 points and 12 rebounds, rookie Kobe Sanders added 20 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers edged the Golden State Warriors 103-102 on Monday night in a wild game that included Warriors coach Steve Kerr getting ejected and Steph Curry fouling out for the first time since 2021.

Kerr was ejected with 7:57 remaining in the game after becoming irate when the Clippers’ John Collins wasn’t called for goaltending. A shouting Kerr pursued the referees along the sideline and had to be restrained by his assistants before getting tossed.

Curry scored 27 points but was just 4 for 15 from 3-point range and 9 for 23 overall before fouling out with 42 seconds remaining in the game. He fouled out for the first time since Dec. 17, 2021, at Boston.

James Harden was a late scratch for the Clippers because of right shoulder soreness. But they got double-figure scoring from all five starters, including Sanders, whose points were a career high. Collins added 18 points and Kris Dunn had 16. Ivica Zubac had 11 rebounds.

Jimmy Butler added 24 points for the Warriors, who lost to the Clippers for the eighth straight time on the road.

Curry fouled Dunn with 42 seconds left and the Warriors trailing 101-100 after Curry's back-to-back 3-pointers. Dunn made both free throws before Draymond Green scored in the lane to pull the Warriors within one.

Leonard missed a jumper and the Warriors grabbed the defensive rebound. Butler missed a 16-footer before time expired.

Neither team shot well from 3. The Clippers were 10 for 29, while the Warriors were 10 for 41.

The Warriors closed within four early in the fourth before the Clippers outscored them 16-7 to lead 94-81. Leonard scored six and Collins had five.

Golden State ran off nine straight, including seven by Butler, to trail 94-90.

Golden State had won six of eight coming into what was a playoff-like atmosphere that included rapper Snoop Dogg doing commentary for the game streamed on Peacock. It was a matchup of the NBA's two oldest teams. The average age of the Clippers' roster is 30.0 to 29.6 for the Warriors.

Green dove for a loose ball and crashed into his team's bench late in the first half. The team said he sustained a rib contusion, but he remained in the game. Green had 12 assists while going 0 of 6 from 3-point range.

Warriors: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday in the opener of an eight-game homestand.

Clippers: Visit the New York Knicks on Wednesday to open a three-game Eastern trip.

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Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives past Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) as Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Clippers forward/center John Collins (20) shoots for a three-point basket under pressure by Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) makes his way down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reaches for a loose ball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Clippers forward/center John Collins (20) and Golden State Warriors guard De'anthony Melton (8) scramble on the court for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — While the Portland Trail Blazers have emphasized developing young talent in recent years, new owner Tom Dundon says that mindset is shifting toward loftier goals.

“We've tried to get this message through the last couple of days that that was fun, and probably necessary, but it's more fun to win," Dundon said. "It's more fun to do the things that lead to success and hopefully we'll start creating more habits, that those processes lead to the kind of winning that I expect, and I think everybody expects.”

Dundon spoke Thursday along with fellow investors in the “Rip City Rising” ownership group. The NBA Board of Governors on Monday approved the reported $4.25 billion sale of the team by Paul Allen's estate and the new owners took over the team on Tuesday.

The Blazers sit at 39-38 in the Western Conference, a half-game back of the eighth-place Los Angeles Clippers. Having already clinched a play-in spot, if Portland can move into the eighth spot it is an easier one-game shot at advancing to the playoffs.

The new owners group includes Dundon, Portland-based Sheel Tyle, the co-founder of investment firm Collective Global; Marc Zahr, co-president of Blue Owl Capital; the Cherng Family Trust, the investment firm of the co-founders of Panda Express; Stan Middleman of Freedom Mortgage who also owns a stake of the Philadelphia Phillies, and others.

In addition to the Trail Blazers, the acquisition includes the Rip City Remix in the NBA G League and Rip City Management, which operates the Moda Center.

Earlier this month, Dundon sold a portion of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes to three new minority owners, a transaction reportedly worth $332.5 million for 12.5% of the team.

Dundon bought a stake in the Hurricanes in 2017, became the majority owner in 2018 and took sole possession of the club in 2021. He is chairman and managing partner of the Dallas-based firm Dundon Capital Partners.

Dundon said he won't shy from pulling off the big deal, adding Blazers general manager Joe Cronin had a possible deal at the trade deadline that would have made a splash.

“If that opportunity exists, I'm probably more aggressive than most," Dundon said. "If it doesn't exist, then you've got to go about finding the pieces to continue to get better, then decide if you can get good enough to win a championship, or you have to take a step back.”

Portland has built in recent years around a nucleus of young players, including Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan. The team's top scorer is Deni Avdija, in his fifth season.

The sale of the Trail Blazers comes after the Oregon Legislature approved funds for the renovation of the Moda Center in early March. The measure gives the state joint ownership of the 30-year-old arena with the city and provides a mechanism to secure $365 million for the building’s renovation ahead of the women's NCAA Final Four in 2030.

Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who died in 2018, bought the Blazers in 1988 for $70 million. His estate announced last May it had begun the process of selling the team. Allen also owned the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and a minority share of Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders.

Allen stipulated in his will the eventual sale of his teams, with the proceeds to be given to philanthropic endeavors. Allen’s estate announced it began the process of selling the Seahawks in mid-February, about two weeks after the team captured the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Portland Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin, left, and Sheel Tyle, Blazers alternate governor, center, listen as during a news conference with new owner and governor Tom Dundon, right, on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Portland Trail Blazers new owner and governor Tom Dundon, left, speaks during a news conference on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Portland Trail Blazers new owner and governor Tom Dundon, center, speaks as alternate governors Andrew Cherng, right, and Sheel Tyle listen during a news conference on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Portland Trail Blazers new owner and governor Tom Dundon speaks during a news conference on Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)