James Harden scored 27 points, and the Los Angeles Clippers held off the New York Knicks 105-95 on Friday night at Intuit Dome.
Kawhi Leonard contributed 20 points as the Clippers improved to 34-29, maintaining their grip on the 8th spot in the Western Conference. Ivica Zubac posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, helping Los Angeles control the boards.
The Knicks, who sit third in the Eastern Conference at 40-23, have now lost three straight games, including an overtime defeat to the Lakers on Thursday. Playing without Jalen Brunson, who is out at least two weeks with an ankle injury, New York struggled offensively in the fourth quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges added 22 points. Josh Hart had 14 points and a career-high 20 rebounds, but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent another loss.
Los Angeles entered the fourth quarter with a narrow 79-78 lead before pulling away with a 6-0 run to start the final period. The Clippers outscored the Knicks 26-17 in the fourth, relying on timely three-point shooting and strong defense down the stretch.
Harden was efficient from beyond the arc, hitting 5-of-12 three-pointers, while Nicolas Batum knocked down 5-of-7 from deep to finish with 17 points. Los Angeles shot 39.5% from three-point range as a team, a key factor in the victory.
New York struggled from deep, making just 9-of-34 three-pointers (26.5%), and failed to generate consistent offense in Brunson’s absence. Miles McBride, starting in his place, finished with seven points and six assists but shot just 2-of-13 from the field.
The Clippers’ win prevented them from slipping further in the standings with five weeks left before the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Knicks continue their West Coast trip searching for a bounce-back victory.
