George scores 23, Clippers beat Raptors for 7th win in 9

TORONTO (AP) — Paul George scored 23 points, Ivica Zubac had 23 points and 16 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers won for the seventh time in nine games by beating the Toronto Raptors 124-113 on Tuesday night.

Norman Powell scored 22 points off the bench and Kawhi Leonard had 15 as the two members of Toronto’s 2019 championship team returned to Canada for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Leonard played in Toronto for the first time since Dec. 11, 2019, when he received his championship ring. Fans cheered when he was introduced before tipoff.

Reggie Jackson scored 20 points and Marcus Morris Sr. added 10 as all five Clippers starters scored in double digits.

Pascal Siakam scored 36 points, topping 25 for the career-high fifth straight game, and Scottie Barnes had 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Raptors’ home losing streak reached four.

One game after making a season-high 19 3-pointers in a road win at Cleveland, Toronto shot 6 for 23 from distance against the Clippers, matching a season-low. Toronto went 1 for 9 from long range in the second half.

Gary Trent Jr. scored 20 points, O.G. Anunoby had 18 and Malachi Flynn 10. Each made two 3-pointers for the Raptors

Toronto’s Fred VanVleet left the court in the first quarter to stretch out his sore lower back, then checked out again early in the third. He finished with four points in 23 minutes and shot 2 for 6, going 0 for 3 from 3-point range.

Los Angeles trailed 29-27 after one but Powell scored 11 points in the second, two of them on a driving dunk, and George added 10 as the Clippers led 60-56 at the break.

Neither team led by more than six points in the first half but the Clippers extended their lead to 18 in the third behind 11 points from Powell. Los Angeles took a 97-82 lead to the fourth.

TIP-INS

Clippers: G John Wall (left knee) sat out on the second night of a back-to-back. … Leonard returned after sitting out Monday’s comeback win at Detroit.

Raptors: Barnes finished with eight assists. … Siakam had nine rebounds. … Began a stretch that sees them play nine of 10 at home. … Coach Nick Nurse said F Precious Achiuwa (sprained right ankle) is close to returning. Achiuwa missed his 22nd straight game Tuesday.

NORM!

Powell played north of the border for the first time since Feb. 28, 2020, Toronto’s final home game before COVID-19 shut down the season. Fans gave Powell a loud ovation after the Raptors honored him with a video tribute during a first-quarter timeout.