LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Kawhi Leonard came off the bench in his return from a lengthy absence, but it didn't matter as the Los Angeles Clippers gifted him with a 103-97 victory over crosstown rival Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association Thursday (Friday in Manila) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Clippers, who hope Leonard's return from a torn knee ligament will take them to a first NBA title, beat the 17-time champion Lakers for the eighth straight time in their "Battle of LA."

The day's other game was a back and forth affair as Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks withstood a fourth-quarter surge from the 76ers to launch their NBA season with a 90-88 victory in Philadelphia.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the 2021 title, flirted with a triple-double with 21 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists as the Bucks handed the Sixers their second defeat of the fledgling season.

James Harden scored 16 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter to lead a Philadelphia comeback bid that featured a 13-0 scoring run and saw the 76ers take the lead at 86-84 with less than two minutes to play.

Paul George scored 15 points and John Wall chipped in 15 in his first game for the Clippers.

"It's amazing," Leonard said of playing on a full-strength Clippers team.

"You see tonight, everybody is out there contributing on the defensive end and on the offensive end."

Leonard, who won titles with the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors, came off the bench for the first time since 2013 and played 21 minutes.