Los Angeles– The Los Angeles Clippers ended the game on a 22-0 run to close out the visiting Brooklyn Nets, en route to a 125-114 comeback victory.
The Clippers scored 41 points in the fourth quarter to erase an 18-point deficit and take their first lead with 2:50 remaining in the game. Kawhi Leonard spearheaded the charge with 14 of his 21 points in the period.
“Early in the game they were coming at us, in the fourth quarter we were the aggressors”, said Russell Westbrook. “Did a good job of being aggressive offensively and defensively…As you see, it changed the whole momentum of the game”.
Westbrook provided a spark off the bench with 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Coming off of four days rest the Clippers were sluggish. Brooklyn jumped out to an early 16-0 lead at the start of the game. Terrance Mann responded with back-to-back threes that ignited an 18-2 Clippers run to tie it at 18.
The Nets reasumed their position in the second quarter dropping 34 points on 61% field goal percentage and led 61-49 at the end of the half.
The Clippers shot 40% from the field on 17-42 attempts and went 5 of 12 from the three-point line for 41% in the first half.
Brooklyn shot 51% making 23 of 45 attempts from the field and made 10 of 23 attempts from behind the arc for 43% in the first half.
Mikal Bridges scored 20 of his 26 in the first and led all scorers.
To start the second half the Clippers’ defense gave up 38 points to a Brooklyn team that was seeking their second win against the Clippers after defeating them earlier this season.
The Clippers’ offense scored 35 in the third but still trailed 99-84 at the end of the quarter.
In the fourth Crypto.com Arena was electric as the Clippers rallied from behind. “It was like a party,” James Harden, who added 24 points and 10 assists said. “The energy was on hundred.
The Clippers defense held the Nets to 15 points in the quarter on 33% shooting from the field.
The Clippers shot 75% from the field in the fourth quarter and they ended the game shooting 61% in the half.
The Clippers prepare to take on their crosstown rivals the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. The Lakers have defeated the Clippers twice this season and just recently 2 weeks ago.
