NEW YORK —James Harden scored 31 points, Kawhi Leonard had 26 and the Clippers beat the Brooklyn Nets 121-105 on Friday night.
Reserve guard Jordan Miller made his first six shots and added 21 points. John Collins added 16 for the Clippers, who bounced back from their loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday to win for the eighth time in 10 games. Leonard, questionable earlier in the day because of a sprained right ankle, started slowly but had 19 points in the second half.
Rookie guard Egor Demin scored 19 points for the Nets, who lost on a buzzer-beater in overtime against Orlando on Wednesday. Michael Porter Jr. struggled to 18 points, missing all nine three-point attempts.
The Clippers scored the first eight points, and after the Nets’ Nic Claxton made two free throws, Harden scored the next six points in an 8-0 run that made it 16-2. Demin made a three-pointer to snap Brooklyn’s 0-for-8 start, but then Leonard and Harden scored to make the Clippers eight for nine and give them a 21-5 lead.
The Clippers (14-23) opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run to make it 45-25 on former Nets center Brook Lopez’s three-point play. They led by 22 before taking a 63-47 halftime lead.
The Nets, playing four of their five first-round draft picks, often had at least one rookie on the floor and it appeared Harden was looking to punish any of them who had to guard him. The three-time NBA scoring champion shot 10 for 13, and when the Nets started sending a second defender at him, he found the open man and finished with six assists.
Brooklyn outscored the Clippers 11-4 to start the third quarter and get back within single digits, but Leonard made a three-pointer and the lead remained in double digits the rest of the way.
Up next for the Clippers: at the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.