INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Los Angeles Clippers secured a victory against the New York Knicks with a 105-95 win on Friday night. James Harden was the standout performer for the Clippers, scoring 27 points, while Kawhi Leonard contributed with 20 points to fend off the Knicks.
Despite their current standing as third in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks have now encountered their third consecutive defeat. They faced a grueling overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers led by LeBron James a day earlier. Adding to their woes, they lost their key player, Jalen Brunson, who sustained an ankle injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least two weeks.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks by recording 23 points and collecting 10 rebounds. Teammate Mikal Bridges scored 22 points, while Josh Hart impressively pulled down a career-high of 20 rebounds alongside scoring 14 points.
The Clippers, besides Harden and Leonard, saw a significant contribution from Ivica Zubac who scored 16 points and amassed 12 rebounds.
Takeaways from the game reveal that the Knicks are facing a challenging Western Conference road trip with Brunson’s absence significantly impacting their performance. Coach Tom Thibodeau expressed uncertainty about Brunson’s return before the season concludes. In his absence, Miles McBride stepped in, securing seven points and distributing six assists.
The Clippers benefited immensely from this win, as it prevented them from sliding out of the playoff berths in the Western Conference. With approximately five weeks left in the season, they are tenaciously holding onto the last playoff spot.
The turning point in the game was the fourth quarter. After being bested 24-19 in the third quarter, the Clippers managed to maintain a narrow 79-78 edge. They commenced the final quarter with vigor, scoring six successive points and ultimately outscoring the Knicks 26-17 to seal the victory.
A critical statistic from the game was the Clippers’ impressive three-point shooting. They succeeded in making 15 out of 38 attempts. Notably, Nicholas Batum made 5 of his 7 attempts, with James Harden also contributing 5 successful shots from beyond the arc.
Looking ahead, the Knicks are set to visit Sacramento on Monday, while the Clippers will host Sacramento on Sunday.