Clippers shoot their way past Knicks, move into tie for 6th in West
NEW YORK — The Clippers are definitely finding their rhythm at the right time.
James Harden had 29 points, six rebounds and six assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points and the Clippers shot 16 for 30 from 3-point range to beat the New York Knicks, 126-113, on Wednesday night.
Norman Powell added 19 points and Ivica Zubac finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers (41-31), who won for the ninth time in their past 11 games and tied Golden State for sixth place in the Western Conference, the final guaranteed postseason spot.
After trailing for the entire first half, and by as many as 14 points, the Clippers erased the deficit by shooting 8 for 11 from 3-point range in the third quarter. The Clippers outscored the Knicks 32-10 from midway through the third into the first four minutes of the fourth quarter en route to a 19-point lead.
The Knicks battled back in the fourth quarter, cutting the 19-point deficit to eight with 1:34 remaining. Powell snuffed out New York’s comeback effort with the last of the Clippers’ 3-pointers, sinking one with 1:12 left to put the game away.
Zubac provided an exclamation point on his night with a dunk on the next possession and the Clippers started their four-game trip in ideal fashion.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 34 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks (45-27), who were looking to follow Cleveland and Boston and become the third team to officially secure a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. O.G. Anunoby scored 28 points and Mikal Bridges finished with 17 points and nine assists.
The Knicks started impressively on the second night of a back-to-back, shooting 8 for 9 while opening an 18-5 lead, but the Clippers blew by them with a 16-3 run to end the third quarter and broke it open in the fourth.
Harden showed no ill effects from a foot injury sustained in a loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday night, pacing the Clippers’ 3-point barrage by going 6 for 9 from behind the arc. With the Clippers trailing 81-78, Harden scored their next 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers to power their strong finish to the third quarter.
Leonard flirted with a triple-double, adding 10 rebounds and seven assists while scoring at least 23 points for the seventh consecutive game. Powell shot 4 for 5 from 3-point range.
The Clippers shot 24 for 42 from the field in the second half, compared to an 18-of-40 clip for New York.
The Knicks fell to 5-5 without Jalen Brunson (sprained right ankle) and are running out of point guards. Deuce McBride, his original replacement, was out with a strained left groin and Cam Payne missed the second half after spraining his right ankle while scoring 15 points in the first half.
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The Clippers stay in New York to visit Brooklyn on Friday at 4:30 p.m. PT.