LOS ANGELES (AP) – Kevin Durant scored 27 points, Seth Curry added 22 and the Brooklyn Nets broke free midway through the fourth quarter yesterday for a 110-95 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Nic Claxton had 13 points and 14 rebounds as the Nets improved to 4-1 since Kyrie Irving was given a team-imposed suspension that will last at least one more game. Three of the four victories have come on the road.
The Nets have held five straight opponents below 100 points.
“We’re going to have to be one of those teams that any given night, somebody will have to step up and make huge plays for us,” Durant said.
“Obviously we’re missing (Irving), so we’re going to have to look for where those points are going to come from. I think the guys are doing it as a group.”
Paul George scored 17 points for the Clippers but endured a rough shooting game, going five of 21 from the field (23.8 per cent). Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for just the second time since October 31.
The Clippers led 86-84 with 7:42 remaining before the Nets took charge. Consecutive three-pointers by Curry, a layup by Claxton and a three-pointer from Royce O’Neale capped a 20-2 run that gave the Nets a 104-88 lead with 2:22 remaining.
“We kept bodies in front of (George); making him make tough shots,” Curry said. “We were switching a lot of stuff and helping each other. Keep bodies in front of them, make guys make tough shots over us and just trust our defence that they’re not going to do that for 48 minutes.”
O’Neale finished with 12 points while Edmond Sumner had 11 as the Nets shot 48 per cent from the field and 44.4 per cent from three-point range. Durant and Curry combined to go seven of 13 from three-point range. Curry made all four of his three-point attempts in the fourth quarter, when he scored 14 points.
Norman Powell scored 16 points for the Clippers, while John Wall had 14 and Marcus Morris Sr added 13. Los Angeles finished with a 46-41 rebounding advantage.
“We didn’t play the right way offensively tonight,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We talked about them really protecting the paint and we get into the paint, making the right play and kicking it out for 3s. Defensively, we double-teamed Durant and he made the right play. Their guys made shots.”
The Clippers fell to 5-5 without star Kawhi Leonard, who has not played since the third game of the season with what is being labelled right knee injury management.
Irving served the fifth game of a team-imposed minimum five-game suspension yesterday, with coach Jacque Vaughn saying the team’s embattled guard will be out at least another game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
