Leonard's three-point play in final seconds lifts Clippers to a 105-102 win over Rockets

HOUSTON (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points and his three-point play with two seconds remaining lifted the Los Angeles Clippers to a 105-102 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Leonard, who had 12 rebounds, scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to extend his career-best streak of 20-point games to 33.

The Clippers led by four points when Kevin Durant made one of two free throws before a layup by Alperen Sengun cut the lead to 102-101 with 43 seconds left. Leonard missed a 3-pointer and Jabari Smith Jr. grabbed a rebound to give Houston the ball.

Sengun shot 1 for 2 from the line with 7.2 seconds left to tie it and Leonard got the rebound before the Clippers called a timeout. Leonard then made a fadeaway jumper as he was fouled and hit the free throw to make it 105-102.

Houston had a chance to tie it, but Tari Eason’s shot was off.

Durant led the Rockets with 21 points and Reed Sheppard added 17 points off the bench.

Houston had a two-point lead before the Clippers made five consecutive free throws to make it 98-95 with 2 ½ minutes remaining.

Durant hit a 3-pointer from the corner a few seconds later to tie it before a pair of free throws by Leonard put the Clippers back on top. A dunk by John Collins pushed the lead to 102-98 with about 90 seconds remaining.

The Rockets were up by five before the Clippers scored the next 12 points, with nine from Leonard, to take an 87-80 lead with about eight minutes to go.

Houston got going after that, using a 13-4 run, with seven points from Durant, to take a 93-91 lead with 4 ½ minutes to go.

Houston led by 13 late in the third quarter before the Clippers went on a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 76-75 with 11 minutes left.

Clippers: Host Denver on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Rockets: Visit Charlotte on Thursday, Feb. 19.

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

Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5) shoots as Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun, left, drives to the basket as Los Angeles Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Polls opened across Bangladesh on Thursday for voters to cast ballots in a parliamentary election seen as a critical test of the country’s democracy after years of political turmoil.

More than 127 million people are eligible to vote, and security was tight at the tens of thousands of polling stations around the country. Balloting will continue through Thursday with results expected Friday.

The election is Bangladesh’s first since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government collapsed in 2024 after weeks of mass protests. Hasina fled the country and her party is banned from the polls. She is living in exile in India.

Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is a leading contender to form the next government. He is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years in self-exile in London. Rahman has pledged to rebuild democratic institutions, restore the rule of law and revive the struggling economy.

Challenging the BNP is an 11-party alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, which was banned under Hasina but has gained prominence since her removal. The conservative religious group’s growing influence has fueled concern among many voters, particularly women and minority communities, who fear social freedoms could come under pressure if they come to power.

Bangladesh is more than 90% Muslim, while around 8% are Hindu.

The vote is taking place under an interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, which has said it is committed to delivering a credible and transparent election. As part of that effort, around 500 international observers and foreign journalists will be present, including delegations from the European Union and the Commonwealth, to which Bangladesh belongs.

Bangladesh’s Parliament has 350 seats, including 300 elected directly from single-member constituencies and 50 reserved for women. Lawmakers are chosen by plurality and the parliament serves a five-year term. The Election Commission recently postponed voting in one constituency after a candidate died.

The election could reshape the domestic stability of Bangladesh, a country whose post-1971 history since gaining independence from Pakistan has been marked by entrenched political parties, military coups and allegations of vote rigging. Young voters, many of whom played a central role in the 2024 uprising, are expected to be influential. Some 5 million first-time voters are eligible.

The election will also include a referendum for political reforms that include prime ministerial term limits, stronger checks on executive power and other safeguards preventing parliamentary power consolidation.

A person shows victory signs after casting his vote outside a polling center during the national parliamentary elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shafiqur Rahman, center, addresses to the media after casting his vote at a polling station during national parliamentary election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Tarique Rahman waves as he comes out after casting his vote during the national parliamentary elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Voters wait in line outside a polling center to cast their ballots during the national parliamentary elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Voters wait in line outside a polling center to cast their ballots during the national parliamentary elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Bangladeshi people stand in queue to cast their votes in a polling station during national parliamentary election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An army official announces to the voters to maintain discipline in a polling station during national parliamentary election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Bangladeshi women stand in queue to cast their votes in a polling station during national parliamentary election in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

People ride on three wheelers on a street ahead of Thursday's national parliamentary election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Security personnel arrive to collect ballot boxes and voting materials at a distribution centre ahead of Thursday's national parliamentary election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An official stands near ballot boxes and voting papers before its distribution to various polling centers ahead of Thursday's national parliamentary election, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)