Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers shoots the game-winning shot against the New Orleans Pelicans. Juan Ocampo / NBAE via Getty Images
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard hit his third career buzzer-beater, a pull-up jumper just inside the 3-point line, to help the Clippers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 126-124 in both teams’ NBA Cup opener.
The shot came nine seconds after Pelicans star Zion Williamson made two score-tying free throws following a Leonard turnover. After Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. took the ball up the floor, Leonard got the ball, drifted left, pump-faked and drilled the shot over two Pelicans defenders.
KAWHI LEONARD WITH THE @TISSOT BUZZER-BEATER FOR THE CLIPPERS 🤯😱
🚨⏰ Everyone Gets 24 https://t.co/EMPIC8NTSz pic.twitter.com/UMp96STS5b
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2025
Leonard’s game winner gave him a game-high 34 points on 11-of-16 from the field and saved the Clippers (3-2) after the Pelicans (0-5) overcame a 17-point third-quarter deficit. His previous buzzer-beaters were in a March overtime win at Intuit Dome against the Sacramento Kings and the multiple-bounce bucket to give the Toronto Raptors a Game 7 win against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jordan Poole led the Pelicans with 30 points off the bench, and Williamson added 29. Unlike in its previous two games, New Orleans did not quit after falling behind by double digits in the second half. However, the Pelicans remain winless on the season.
The Clippers also ended the first half with a buzzer-beater, a Jones putback dunk that resembled Aaron Gordon’s slam in Game 4 of last season’s Denver Nuggets-Clippers first-round playoff series.
🚨 DERRICK JONES JR. AT THE BUZZER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/CF6Nyv9RYg
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 1, 2025
The last time there was a Halloween buzzer-beater was in 2008, when Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay hit a midrange shot to beat the Orlando Magic 86-84.
This was also the first time the Clippers won their opening NBA Cup group play game in three tries.
This story will be updated.
Nov 1, 2025
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