James Harden and Kyrie Irving combined for 65 points as the Los Angeles Clippers’ late comeback attempt fell short, giving the Brooklyn Nets their 6th win in a row, 112-108.
Harden collected 11 rebounds and 7 assists to go along with his game-high 37 points. The performance marked the 77th time that Harden has recorded a 35-point double double. That is good for second-most among active players, one behind LeBron James.
Irving added 28 for the Nets and dished out a game-high 8 assists. He scored 12 a piece in both the first and third quarters.
With Kevin Durant missing his 4th game in a row, other Nets stepped up their scoring. Joe Harris, Bruce Brown, and DeAndre Jordan each added 13 points.
In his second game back from injury, Paul George looked like his old self again. He dropped 34 points and 7 assists, both team-highs. Kawhi Leonard added a 29-point, 13-rebound double double.
Only one other Clipper cracked double-digits, as the team struggled to find offense from anywhere other than the George-Leonard duo.
Both duos were red-hot early
Irving and Harden combined for 25 of the Nets’ first quarter points. Only one other Net, Jeff Green, scored in the first frame.
Leonard’s 14 first quarter points led the way for the Clippers early. He scored nearly half of the Clippers’ 30 points.
The clashing duos stayed hot in the second quarter. Both Harden and Irving (33) and Leonard and George (31) made up more than half of their team’s points in the first half.
Clippers make a late push, falling just short
Early in the fourth quarter, the Nets pushed their lead to 15. Just as things seemed to be getting out of hand, the Clippers made a 9-0 run. Ivica Zubac and George scored all 9 points to draw the Clippers within 6 points.
With the Nets’ lead back up to 8 with under 2:30 to play, the Clippers made their final push. Leonard led a 8-1 run that tied the game at 108 with just 28.6 seconds remaining.
Irving’s side-step, right-wing three bounced high off the rim with 11.1 left. Jordan came out of nowhere to tip the ball off the glass and in. A Leonard offensive foul on the other end secured the Nets’ win.
Interestingly, George was checked out of the game with 2:50 remaining. A minutes restriction kept George on the bench for the remainder of the game.
The Clippers were down 6 at the time, and George was sorely missed. He had 12 points in the fourth quarter, and his elevated play on both ends could have given the Clippers the extra boost they needed.
Looking Ahead
The Nets completed their undefeated road trip, winning all five games. They now go back home for three straight games, starting with the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Looking to rebound from their loss, the Clippers will travel to Washington to face the Wizards on Tuesday at 10:00 p.m.
