INGLEWOOD — By the end of their fifth consecutive victory, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue saw something he hadn’t seen much this season. Growth. Progress measured in minutes.

For the first time in a month, the Clippers competed for a full 48 minutes on Tuesday night and came away with a resounding 131-90 victory against the Sacramento Kings at the Intuit Dome.

“We’re growing as a team and understanding what we need to do,” Lue said. “Our backs were against the wall and our guys are responding.”

Lue has been vocal about the necessity to stack wins and good performances in what has been a challenging season. The Clippers (11-21) seem to have figured out how to build upon the momentum they have been riding for the past 10 days with stringent defense and Kawhi Leonard.

Leonard, who has been averaging 39 points during their run, scored a game-high 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field (5 for 9 from 3-point range), two nights after he poured in a career-best 55 points against the Detroit Pistons. He also shot 6 for 7 from the free-throw line and had five rebounds and five assists.

“I think we’re just playing better,” Leonard said, attributing their recent play to the work they have put in. “The cream is rising to the top. You see all the work guys are putting in and they’re making 3’s now.”

Leonard scored 18 points in the second quarter, while the entire Kings roster had 20.

“When you have two players like James (Harden) and Kawhi, they can make shots and take over a game,” Kings coach Doug Christie said before the game.

Harden added 21 points to go with five assists, while John Collins, who returned to the lineup after missing one game because of illness, added 16 points and five rebounds. The Clippers shot 51.1% (46 for 90) from the field and 36.8% (14 for 38) from 3-point range.

“I give a lot of credit to Kawhi and James, just how they’ve been able to play, getting guys open shots for scoring the ball as well. But it starts with our defense,” Lue said.

Lue said the Clippers needed to come out with the right defensive mindset against the Kings, who have won only three times since Nov. 24, and the Clippers responded, taking advantage of the Kings’ cold shooting in the first half to roll to a 73-40 halftime lead. It was the second-fewest points the Clippers have allowed in a half this season; they limited the Lakers to 39 first-half points on Dec. 20.

Sacramento shot just 31.8% (14 for 44) from the field and 30.8% (4 for 13) from long range in the first half and 41% (34 for 83) from the field and 33.3% (9 for 27) from the perimeter for the night.

With a lead that swelled to 43 points, the Clippers did let up some in the second half. Leonard took a seat with 3:45 left in the third quarter but started the fourth along with Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, Kobe Sanders and rookie center Yanic Konan Neiderhauser, who scored 16 points in 25 minutes.

Harden was on the bench after adding five points in the third quarter and didn’t return.

Although the Kings shot better in the second half, they couldn’t make a dent in the Clippers’ lead and dropped their second straight game.

Collins couldn’t put his finger on any one facet of their play that has enabled them to string together a handful of victories. For him, he feels the team has finally found the right chemistry.

“I feel like just the chemistry and energy is finally flowing and I’m just trying to embrace, again, my new role and where I’m at,” Collins said. “I feel like the energy is just fun.”

Nique Clifford paced the Kings with 18 points. Russell Westbrook had 12 points, three rebounds and four assists, and Keegan Murray added 11 points. Maxine Raynaud had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Kings were without center Domantas Sabonis (left knee partial meniscus tear) and guad Zach LaVine (left ankle sprain).