Brooklyn Nets slip by sloppy Clippers in LA for 6th straight win

Feb. 22 (UPI) -- James Harden scored a game-high 37 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to narrow win Sunday night over the turnover prone Los Angeles Clippers.

The Nets held off a late Clippers rally to earn the 112-108 win at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Nets have now won six-consecutive games and went 5-0 on their West Coast road trip.

Los Angeles committed 27 turnovers in the loss.

Kyrie Irving had 28 points for the Nets, who were without injured All-Star Kevin Durant. Paul George led the Clippers with 34 points

"Our mindset, no matter who is in the lineup, is the same mindset every game," Harden told reporters. "We can't wait until [Durant] gets back, but we just take it one game at a time."

The Nets led by 15 points to start the fourth quarter before the Clippers rallied to tie the score at 108 on a Kawhi Leonard free throw with 28.6 seconds remaining.

Nets center DeAndre Jordan grabbed an offensive rebound on the next possession and made a follow-up shot with 11 seconds left to give the lead back to Brooklyn. Harden then made two free throws to seal the victory.

The Nets trailed 21-15 with 4:38 left in the first quarter before making a 13-1 run to take a 28-22 lead, but Leonard hit a 3-pointer to give the Clippers a 30-28 lead entering the second quarter.

The Nets and Clippers exchanged the lead start the second before the Nets went on a 10-2 run and eventually held 58-51 lead at the break.

Brooklyn pushed their lead to 11 points in the third and had a 15-point advantage early in the fourth before Los Angeles cut the deficit to 6. A late 9-1 Clippers run tied the score in the final minute before Jordan and Harden put the game out of reach.

Jordan finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds and Joe Harris and Bruce Brown Jr. scored 13 points each for the Nets. Leonard had 29 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.

"We are just staying on course," Irving told reporters after the game. "The destination is making it to the main stage [NBA Finals] and earning our way there. Nothing is given. We are just going to continue to enjoy the journey."

The Nets (20-12) next host the Sacramento Kings at 7:30 p.m. EST Tuesday and the Clippers (22-10) host the Washington Wizards at 10 p.m. EST.