The Los Angeles Clippers couldn’t hold onto a double-digit fourth-quarter lead and fell to the Philadelphia 76ers 110-108 on Monday night at Wells Fargo Center. The loss dropped the Clippers to 4-10 on the season, while the 76ers improved to 8-5.
Harden Reaches 28,000 Points in Losing Effort
James Harden became the 11th player in NBA history to reach 28,000 career points with a first-quarter layup, but his milestone night wasn’t enough to secure a victory. Harden finished with 28 points on 7-of-25 shooting from the field and 2-of-12 from three-point range, though he made all 12 of his free throws. He added six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and four turnovers in 37 minutes.
The veteran guard had two chances to tie the game in the final seconds but missed back-to-back three-point attempts as time expired. It marked the second straight game where Harden missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer after Sunday’s 121-118 loss in Boston.
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Sanders Shines in First Career Start
Rookie Kobe Sanders made his first NBA start in place of the injured Derrick Jones Jr., who is out at least six weeks with an MCL sprain. The second-round pick out of Nevada responded with a career-high 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three-point range.
He made all four of his free throws and added one rebound, one assist, and one steal in 30 minutes.
Sanders made a pair of free throws with 13.8 seconds remaining to pull the Clippers within 110-108, giving Los Angeles a chance to tie or win. After a successful coach’s challenge overturned a foul call into a steal by Kris Dunn, the Clippers had possession with a chance to win, but Harden’s late attempts fell short.
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Clippers’ Fourth-Quarter Meltdown
Los Angeles controlled the game for the first three and a half quarters, building a 91-81 lead with 8:44 remaining after a 10-footer by Ivica Zubac. But Philadelphia stormed back with a 14-3 run over the next 2:49, capped by Tyrese Maxey’s layup that gave the 76ers a 95-94 lead.
Zubac finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while John Collins added 11 points and seven rebounds for the Clippers. Dunn contributed seven points and five assists in the backcourt.
Maxey, George Lead 76ers Rally
Tyrese Maxey carried Philadelphia’s comeback with 39 points on 13-of-27 shooting, including 4-of-11 from three-point range. Andre Drummond dominated the glass with 18 rebounds to go along with 14 points, while Quentin Grimes provided 19 points off the bench.
Paul George made his season debut after missing the first 12 games recovering from offseason left knee surgery. The nine-time All-Star scored nine points with seven rebounds in 21 minutes on a minutes restriction against his former team.
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Injury-Riddled Clippers Continue to Struggle
The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard for the seventh straight game due to an ankle and foot sprain. Combined with Jones’ absence, LA has now lost eight of their last nine games and sit near the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 4-10.
The Clippers travel to Orlando on Thursday night looking to snap their current losing streak.
