James Harden recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds. In comparison, Norman Powell matched him with 24 points as the Los Angeles Clippers narrowly escaped with a 105-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night, securing their fourth consecutive win.
Ivica Zubac contributed a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, helping the Clippers improve to 3-4 at Intuit Dome after dropping their first four games in their brand-new arena.
Ochai Agbaji and Immanuel Quickley each scored 21 points for the Raptors, who lost their third straight game and seventh in their last eight.
After Quickley drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with 39 seconds remaining, Powell and Harden combined to miss three of six free throws, giving Toronto a chance. However, Quickley and RJ Barrett misfired on contested shots in the final seconds, and Jakob Poeltl’s putback attempt with 4.1 seconds left also missed the mark.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue confirmed that Kawhi Leonard, still recovering from a right knee injury, will not travel on the team’s upcoming three-game road trip.
Takeaways
Raptors: Quickley had an impressive fourth quarter in his return after missing eight games with a pelvic bruise.
Clippers: Los Angeles displayed resilience in its third back-to-back of the season following Friday’s road win in Sacramento.
Key Moment
Down by three, Poeltl intentionally missed a free throw in the final seconds, grabbed his own rebound, and attempted a 9-foot putback that rimmed out. Harden then threw the ball downcourt to seal the win.
Key Stat
Kevin Porter Jr. scored 15 points, his highest total since rejoining the NBA after missing last season due to legal issues. He last played in 2022-23, averaging 19.3 points per game for Houston.
Up Next
Clippers: Travel to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Monday.
Raptors: Remain in Los Angeles to take on the Lakers on Sunday.