Clippers Surge Late for First Win of the Season

Published

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Danilo Gallinari and Tobias Harris scored 26 points each and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-92 on Friday night for their first win of the season.




The Thunder played without Russell Westbrook for the second straight game because of a right knee issue.

Lou Williams, last season's Sixth Man of the Year, added 17 points off the bench. He hit a clutch 3-pointer to snap a 90-all tie and give the Clippers the lead for good midway through the fourth.

The Clippers outscored the Thunder 37-15 in the fourth.










Boban Marjanovic, a Clippers fan favorite in part for his 7-foot-3 stature, drew chants of "MVP" while scoring 10 of his 13 points in the fourth.

Paul George led the Thunder with 20 points before fouling out with 1:13 remaining in the game. Paul was just 2 of 11 from the field in the first half.

The Clippers led by 17 points in the first quarter. They were up by two at halftime before the Thunder took a nine-point lead in the third.

Los Angeles opened the game on a 16-0 run while the Thunder missed their first six shots. But Oklahoma City never took the lead despite twice pulling into a tie.

The Thunder took their first lead of the game, 49-48, on a 3-pointer by Patrick Patterson to start the third. George took over offensively for a stretch, highlighted by a 3-pointer in which he got fouled and made the free throw, that helped Oklahoma City lead by nine.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Westbrook had only controlled contact at practice while he and the medical staff assess how his knee feels. ... George scored 27 points in an eight-point loss to defending champion Golden State in the opener.

Clippers: Rookie G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had two points in following up his 11-point NBA debut against Denver. ... Without any stars, the team has replaced individual player photos with nighttime shots of the city along with one of hands raised in a team huddle to cover up the Lakers championship banners in Staples Center.

UP NEXT

Thunder: Host Sacramento in their home opener on Sunday. The Thunder won three of the four meetings last season.

Clippers: Host Houston on Sunday in the return of Chris Paul, the Clippers' career assists leader.