NEW YORK — James Harden made his debut for the LA Clippers on Monday but the New York Knicks spoiled the party and ran away with a 111-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
The Knicks outscored the Clippers 35-21 in the fourth quarter and 69-51 in the second half, to put a damper on Harden’s first game for his hometown Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points while Harden finished with 17 points in 31-plus minutes in his first action since the Philadelphia 76ers dealt him to the Clippers on Oct. 31. Russell Westbrook contributed 17 points while Norman Powell (14 points) and Paul George (10 points) also got into double figures for Los Angeles.
Neither team led by more than four points until Leonard began the third quarter with a dunk to put the Clippers ahead 48-42. The Knicks opened up a pair of four-point leads before Los Angeles went on an 8-1 run to go ahead 76-73.
