Clippers star Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, left, and Gui Santos defend during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, foreground, controls the ball as Golden State Warriors center Al Horford defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) shoots gets to the basket for a layup in front of Clippers center Brook Lopez during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue gestures from the sideline during the first half of their game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, top, hangs onto the rim after dunking in front of Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard looks to pass the ball as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Nate Williams, right, loses the ball as Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gestures from the sideline during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, left, grabs a rebound in front of Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
The Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody , right, reaches for a loose ball as Clippers guard Darius Garland looks on during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Darius Garland, left, and the Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody, top, pursue a loose ball during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody, left, reaches for the ball while falling over Clippers guard Darius Garland during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, right, argues a call with referee Justin Van Duyne during the first half of a game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors’ Gui Santos holds the ball as Clippers guard Darius Garland defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer takes a shot as Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) drives to the basket as Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, top, defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, left, drives to the basket as Clippers guard Kris Dunn defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos, left, drives to the basket as Clippers guard Kobe Sanders defends during the first half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, left, and center Al Horford defend during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer defends during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers center Brook Lopez, left, shoots as Golden State Warriors center Al Horford defends during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, middle, drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, left, and forward Gui Santos (15) defend during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Injured Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry, middle, watches from the bench during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. shoots as Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer defends during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Nate Williams gestures after scoring during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacts after missing a shot during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., right, goes up for a shot as the Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski defends during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard takes a shot as the Golden State Warriors’ Nate Williams defends during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody goes up for a shot in front of Clippers star Kawhi Leonard on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (14) blocks a shot by Golden State Warriors center Al Horford (20) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn celebrates after dunking during a game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard drives as the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23), Al Horford (20) and Gui Santos, far right, defend during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody goes up for a shot as Clippers star Kawhi Leonard defends on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
New Clippers guard Darius Garland looks to pass the ball as Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos defends during the second half on Monday night in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers guard Darius Garland, left, gestures after making a 3-point shot during the first half of their game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard handles the ball as the Golden State Warriors’ Moses Moody (4) and Draymond Green (23) defend on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn takes a shot during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers guard Jordan Miller, middle, drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer, left, defends during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Clippers guard Jordan Miller, left, celebrates with teammate Darius Garland during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Injured Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, left, talks with Clippers star Kawhi Leonard after the teams’ game on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Clippers star Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, left, and Gui Santos defend during the second half on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO — The Clippers unleashed their new weapon and rallied for a road win.
Kawhi Leonard had 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Darius Garland made his much-anticipated debut, and the Clippers erased a 17-point deficit to beat the short-handed Golden State Warriors, 114-101, on Monday night at the Chase Center.
Garland had been nursing a toe injury since mid-January, then he went down with 1:26 left in the second quarter after a collision with the Warriors’ Moses Moody when they both went for a loose ball and Moody’s right shoulder appeared to get Garland in the face. Both players were shaken but stayed in the game.
Garland’s 3-pointer with 3:09 left in the third quarter pulled the Clippers within 75-68, then Kris Dunn had a steal and layup to make it a five-point game. The Clippers were within 79-77 by the start of the fourth period.
The Clippers took advantage of their superior depth to take the lead for good at 82-81 on a Garland 10-footer. The visitors then gradually pulled away against a Warriors team that had just 10 players available, including two recent call-ups from the G League.
“Just trying to knock the cobwebs off,” Garland said during his postgame interview. “In the first half, that was it. In the second half after I made a couple shots, teammates kept telling me to keep finding it, keep going, be aggressive, and that’s what happened.”
Four other Clippers scored in double figures in a win that pulled them within 1½ games of the Warriors in their duel for eighth place in the Western Conference. The Clippers own a 2-1 lead in the season series with one head-to-head remaining – the regular-season finale on April 12 at the Intuit Dome.
Dunn finished with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with seven rebounds and seven assists for the Clippers, who shot just 9 for 31 from 3-point range but outscored the Warriors 62-36 in the paint. Bennedict Mathurin added 17 points and seven rebounds. Jordan Miller contributed 12 points, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser added 11 points and nine rebounds.
Brandin Podziemski scored 22 points for the Warriors with Steph Curry sidelined for an 11th consecutive game with a right knee injury, big man Kristaps Porzingis out for his fifth straight contest because of an illness Coach Steve Kerr called “mysterious.” Rookie Will Richard was in a walking boot for his sprained right ankle he hurt in Saturday’s blowout loss to the Lakers. Gary Payton II was also unavailable.
Al Horford added 17 points for Golden State, which has lost five of seven and nine of 14. Podziemski hit eight of his initial 12 shots with three 3-pointers for his second career 20-point half, but he went 1 for 6 for two points after the break.
Golden State shot just 39% from the field overall and went 17 for 48 from 3-point range (35%).
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Garland cited the Leonard’s presence as a key reason for his rush to get back on the court.
“When it first happened, I was kind of skeptical,” he told reporters of joining the Clippers. “But I couldn’t turn down this opportunity to play with another Hall of Famer and having a ball in my hands damn near 99% of the time.”
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The Clippers host Indiana on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.