Brook Lopez and Darius Garland power Clippers to victory over Thunder
Brook Lopez scored 26 points and Darius Garland added 24 as the Clippers finished off a 113-112 victory Friday night in an NBA Cup game, sending the shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder to a season-high third straight loss.
Derrick Jones Jr. and rookie Keaton Wagler had 14 points apiece, and Gradey Dick added 13 as the Clippers scored the final seven points to win for the second time in three games after opening the season with a 1-7 record.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 for the Thunder but missed a 21-foot jumper at the buzzer that would have won it.
Jared McCain had 23 points and Isaiah Hartenstein added 21 points with 16 rebounds as Oklahoma City fell to 0-3 on a four-game West Coast trip. McCain finished seven of 11 from three-point range.
The Clippers led 57-44 at halftime behind 12 points from Lopez, while the Thunder were just two of 17 on threes over the first two quarters. Oklahoma City recovered to outscore Los Angeles 40-25 in the third by going five of 11 from long distance.
Gilgeous-Alexander hit a leaning three-pointer with 3:01 remaining for a 110-106 lead. The Clippers trailed 112-106 with 2:43 remaining before closing the game on a 7-0 run. Lopez scored a pair of baskets down the stretch before Garland put the Clippers ahead for good on a three-point play with 50.4 seconds left.
Without starters Chet Holmgren (knee), Jalen Williams (leg) and Cason Wallace (shoulder) since Oct. 26, the Thunder started a pair of 7-footers in Hartenstein and rookie Aday Mara for the second consecutive game and fourth time this season. Mara finished with 10 points and three blocks.
