minute restriction

Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and James Harden added 22 points as the Clippers extended their winning streak to four games with a 119-105 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

The victory moved the Clippers (17-23), who were once 6-21, only a half-game behind Memphis for a play-in spot this postseason.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 16 points and Jordan Miller added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the Clippers improved to 11-2 since Dec. 20 after starting the season 6-21.

The victory came without starting center Ivica Zubac (ankle) and starting forward John Collins (groin), while Leonard (ankle) was on a minutes restriction. Leonard finished seven of 11 from three-point range in 30 minutes.

Kyshawn George scored 23 points and Khris Middleton added 17 for the Wizards, who lost their fourth consecutive game and fell to 0-2 on a four-game trip.

Marvin Bagley III scored 15 points with 11 rebounds for Washington, which remained shorthanded after CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert were traded Friday and new addition Trae Young (knee, quad) remains out. Young will be reevaluated after the All-Star break.

The Wizards were further depleted when center Alex Sarr was ejected with 1:45 remaining before halftime after receiving his second technical foul of the game.

The Clippers led 37-22 after one quarter and were up by 20 at 54-34 with 6:47 remaining in the first half.

The Wizards went on a 30-13 run to open the second half and pull within 83-81 with 3:26 remaining in the third quarter. The Clippers pushed their advantage to 96-89 to start the fourth quarter.

Leonard scored 11 consecutive points for the Clippers early in the fourth quarter with his three-pointer with 6:14 remaining giving the Clippers a 110-95 lead.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss at least a month with a grade 2 strain in his left calf, the team announced Friday, one day after he left the game against the Houston Rockets at halftime.

Reaves, averaging career highs in points (26.6), assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2), had already missed three games with what the team called a “mild” calf strain. He returned off the bench while playing on a minutes restriction against Phoenix on Dec. 23 and reprised his starting role on Christmas Day in a loss to the Rockets. But after scoring 12 points in 15 minutes in the first half, he was ruled out for the second half with “left calf soreness.”

Calf injuries have been major concerns across the NBA since three stars — Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum — suffered Achilles tears during last year’s playoffs. Haliburton and Lillard have previously dealt with calf injuries.

Lakers star guard Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury on Christmas Day last year while with the Dallas Mavericks and missed two months, during which he was traded to the Lakers.

“I know how it is to go to a calf injury. It’s not fun at all,” Doncic said Thursday after the game. “[I’ll] just be there to support him. Take your time. Calves are dangerous so take your time.”

The Lakers (19-10) are losing their second-leading scorer at a critical time of the season. They have lost three consecutive games, their only losing streak of the season, and their defense in the last 15 games has been among the worst in the league.

After the third consecutive blowout loss, coach JJ Redick questioned how much his players cared. He promised an “uncomfortable” film session and team meeting at practice on Saturday before the Lakers face Sacramento at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.

After a difficult stretch of the schedule that included eight out of 10 games against teams with winning records, the Lakers have four of their next five against teams in the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Outside of a home game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Tuesday, the Lakers play the Sacramento Kings, the Memphis Grizzlies (on Jan. 2 and 4) and at New Orleans on Jan. 6.

Reaves’ absence could extend until the beginning of the Lakers’ Grammy road trip that begins on Jan. 20 against Denver.