NBA: Bennedict Mathurin pushes Clippers past Bucks

Bennedict Mathurin scored 28 points and John Collins added 22 to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 127-113 road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

The win marked the Clippers’ fifth straight victory. Kawhi Leonard contributed 20 points and eight rebounds, while Darius Garland added 15 points and 11 assists.

Milwaukee suffered its fourth consecutive loss and 14th in the last 17 games. The Bucks had already been eliminated from postseason contention following Saturday’s defeat to San Antonio.

Gary Trent Jr. led the Bucks with a game-high 36 points on 12-for-21 shooting. Taurean Prince added 18 points along with eight assists and six rebounds, and AJ Green scored 15. Milwaukee played without key players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr., and Gary Harris.

The Clippers completed a two-game season sweep, having previously routed the Bucks 129-96 in Los Angeles on Monday.

Trent Jr. started strong for Milwaukee, scoring 11 points on 3-for-5 three-point shooting in the first quarter, though the Clippers still led 29-25. Leonard took over in the second quarter, scoring 10 points as the Bucks shot just 7-for-22. Los Angeles led 57-46 at halftime.

The Clippers dominated the third quarter, but the Bucks made a late push in the fourth, going 7-for-11 from beyond the arc, including 16 points from Trent Jr. Despite the surge, Los Angeles maintained control by excelling at the free-throw line, shooting 20-for-22 in the second half and finishing 24-for-28 for the game.

--Field Level Media/Reuters