BOSTON -- The Los Angeles Clippers dropped their ninth game of the season on Sunday afternoon, falling 121-118 to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The loss moves the Clippers to 4-9 on the season, while Boston improved to 7-7, getting back to .500 with their second straight win.
Harden's Second-Half Explosion Not Enough
James Harden put on a show in the second half, scoring 32 of his 37 points after halftime to keep the Clippers in the game. The veteran guard finished 9-of-22 from the field and knocked down 14-of-15 free throws in a gutsy performance.
After recording a triple-double just two nights earlier in a double-overtime win against Dallas, Harden once again showed why he remains one of the league's most clutch performers.
Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles, but it wasn't enough to overcome a slow first half that saw the Clippers trail by as many as 24 points.
Celtics Control Early, Clippers Battle Back
Boston came out firing, jumping to a 9-2 lead and forcing an early timeout from Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. The Celtics built their advantage throughout the first half behind strong play from Jaylen Brown, who had 16 points at the break.
The Celtics extended their lead to 63-49 at halftime and pushed it to 76-55 early in the third quarter after an 8-0 run to open the second half. But the Clippers refused to go away quietly.
Harden sparked a massive comeback in the fourth quarter, hitting a three-pointer to cut the lead to 108-103 with 3:36 left. He followed that up by drawing a foul and sinking both free throws to make it 108-105, capping a 9-0 Clippers run.
Derrick White answered with a clutch three to push Boston's lead back to 115-105 with 1:29 remaining. But Harden kept fighting, drawing a foul on a three-point attempt and hitting all three free throws to cut it to 115-112 with just 21.8 seconds left.
Payton Pritchard sealed the game by making two free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining. Harden got a clean look at the buzzer but missed, and the Celtics escaped with the three-point victory.
Devastating Injuries Compound Clippers' Woes
The game took a scary turn in the second quarter when Derrick Jones Jr. suffered a right knee injury after a collision with Brown, who dove for a loose ball. Jones Jr. immediately grabbed his knee in pain and had to be helped to the locker room by two staff members. He did not return to the game.
The injury bug hit the Clippers again when Jordan Miller exited with left hamstring soreness and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Miller had just returned from a hamstring injury that cost him time earlier this season.
What's Next
Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 33 points and 13 rebounds for Boston, while Payton Pritchard added 30 points off the bench, and Derrick White chipped in 22 points with nine assists and seven rebounds.
The Clippers continue their seven-game road trip Monday night in Philadelphia, facing a 76ers team that will look to take advantage of their injury troubles.