Russell Westbrook played a big role in helping the LA Clippers earn a stunning late victory over the Brooklyn Nets 125-114 at Crypto.com Arena.
Down 15 early in the fourth quarter and down 18 at one point in the period, LA stormed home with a 41-15 final stanza, including keeping the Nets scoreless in the final five and a half minutes in a wild collapse of visitors.
Westbrook had 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting and six assists with a team-high nine rebounds and a team-high +22 plus/minus off the bench in one of his best outings of the season, especially since the Clippers. acquired James Harden.
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Harden had 24 points and dished out 10 assists and Kawhi Leonard added 21 points, four rebounds and four assists, while Paul George’s shot missed, going 5 of 17 from the field for 12 points.
With that, the Clippers improved to 27-14 overall and 2-1 since Ivica Zubac’s injury as they navigate a tricky stretch without their Croatian starting center.
It also created more separation between the West’s top four seeds — Minnesota (30-12), OKC (29-13), Denver (29-14) and the Clippers — compared to the rest of the field. conference, with New Orleans (25). -18) three games behind in fifth position.
Mikal Bridges led Brooklyn in scoring with 26 and Cam Thomas had 20 points and six assists coming off the bench.
The Nets, coming off a big win against the Lakers, split their trip to Los Angeles 1-1 to fall to 17-25 on the season.
Ben Simmons accompanied the team on their three-game road trip against Portland and both Los Angeles teams as the Australian slowly ramps up his return from a back injury that has kept him sidelined since early november.
ALL RESULTS
NETS 114 MOWERS 125
NUGGETS – MAGICIANS
HEAT – MAGIC
CELTICS – ROCKETS
PACERS – SUN
TRAIL BLAZERS – LAKERS
