The Clippers found the right recipe to defeat the Brooklyn Nets, despite having a home court disadvantage. The Nets were also quite better in terms of available players. The guests were without numerous big names including Paul George, Luke Kennard, Nicolas Batum, and Ivica Zubac. This meant that the Clippers will be limited in terms of rotation possibilities as well.
The game started off quite well for the Clippers who took the lead early on in the match. They took a 10-point lead in the first quarter which was erased by the end of it. Then, the Nets came in charge all the way through the last 12 minutes of the game.
James Harden and Kevin Durant led their team to a 13-point lead deep into the last quarter. However, a 10-0 run for the Clippers almost evened things up at 107-105. Everyone was ready for a dramatic ending in which the guests turned out to be more efficient.
MAMA THERE GOES THAT MANN!!!
📺 @BallySportWest | @terance_mann pic.twitter.com/kmBem3J2Cy
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 2, 2022
The Clippers went on to win the game, 116-120, after a couple of clutch shots made by Justise Winslow and Terrance Mann. On the other end, James Johnson and James Harden missed two shots each which gave enough opportunities to their opponent to close out the game.
Eric Bledsoe came up huge for the Clippers scoring 27 points on an 8-12 performance. He also added 3 steals and 2 blocked shots in defense. Reggie Jackson and Terrance Mann finished off the match with 19 points each.
For the Nets, James Harden led the way with a fantastic triple-double (34 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists). His 3-11 performance from the 3-point line was once again decisive for the outcome. Kevin Durant might have dropped 28 points, but he seemed to be far from his top level.
5 Triples for @Patty_Mills #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/oG4xJoznqQ
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 2, 2022
Patty Mills was clinical for the Nets from beyond the arc. He scored 5 out of his 9 attempts in total. However, his 17 points were not enough as he drained just a single bucket in the last quarter.
This loss meant that the Nets officially lost the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They are now second with 23 wins and 11 losses. The Clippers, on the other hand, closed the gap between themselves and the leaders. However, it seems that the top 3 spots have already been reserved for the Warriors, the Suns, and the Jazz. The team from LA now holds a 19-18 record and will try to fight with lots of teams for 4th place.
