Clippers, back from Los Angeles wildfire postponement, douse Heat in rout
Norman Powell scored 29 points while James Harden and Ivica Zubac chalked up double-doubles as the Los Angeles Clippers overturned an early 13-point deficit to beat the Miami Heat 109-98 on Monday (Tuesday, January 14, Manila time) in Inglewood.
Harden had 26 points with 11 assists while hitting 6 of 10 3-point attempts, and Zubac threw down seven dunks en route to 21 points and 20 rebounds.
The Heat, whose three-game winning streak (all on the road) came to an end, received 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists from Tyler Herro plus 19 points and 13 boards from Kel’el Ware.
The game was among the first professional sports event in Los Angeles — played concurrently with the Lakers hosting the San Antonio Spurs — since the outbreak of the devastating Southern California wildfires last week.
It was the Clippers’ first appearance since they lost at Denver on Wednesday. The Clippers’ home game against the Charlotte Hornets scheduled for last Saturday was postponed.
Herro and Kevin Love, starting at center in place of Bam Adebayo (lower back), inspired separate 8-0 and 10-2 runs to turn an early 5-0 Miami deficit into a commanding 33-20 lead.
Harden finished the first quarter with a 27-foot 3-pointer on the buzzer before Mo Bamba started the second frame with a trey, helping Los Angeles close within four points.
The teams combined for 10-of-41 shooting from the floor and 2-of-23 success from 3-point range in a dour second quarter, which the Clippers narrowly won 15-13 to trim the Heat’s advantage to 48-43 entering halftime.
Los Angeles recaptured its offensive touch in the third period while continuing to curb Miami at the other end, forcing the Heat to cough up seven turnovers in the quarter.
Miami’s cushion was 59-51 after Terry Rozier’s pullup 3-pointer with 8:44 remaining in the third before Powell and Harden pushed the contest the Clippers’ way.
The pair spearheaded a 19-4 burst to give Los Angeles a 70-61 buffer. Harden finished the quarter with a trey and a floater at the buzzer to cap a 36-20 period and extend the home side’s lead to 79-68.
The Clippers maintained the upper hand in the fourth, motoring ahead 91-72 on Powell’s fifth 3-pointer. – Rappler.com