Clippers Beat Thunder 113-112 After Darius Garland's Three-Point Play

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a 21-foot jump shot with two seconds remaining, allowing the Los Angeles Clippers to escape with a 113-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday the 13th at the Intuit Dome.

The win moves the Clippers to 3-8 on the young season after erasing a late four-point deficit in the final minutes. Guard Darius Garland sealed the contest with a three-point play, capping off a night where Los Angeles managed to overcome early offensive struggles and foul trouble in front of 17,927 fans.

“I told my guys, just win the game no matter what happens, whatever it takes, just win the game,” Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue said. “I’m just proud the guys got down six, then to come back and win that game was a huge win for us.”

The Thunder played short-handed on the road, missing key contributors including center Chet Holmgren, guard Jalen Williams, and forward Cason Wallace. Despite the depleted roster, Oklahoma City controlled stretches of the game behind Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 40 points on 15-for-26 shooting from the floor and 8-for-11 from the free-throw line for his third 40-point performance of the season.

Darius Garland Comes Up Clutch vs. Thunder | Highlights — LA Clippers

Los Angeles leaned on a balanced scoring attack to offset Gilgeous-Alexander’s offensive output. Center Brook Lopez led the charge with a season-high 26 points on 11-21 shooting, while Garland added 24 points and 7 assists with only 3 turnovers in 37 minutes on the court.

Rookie guard Keaton Wagler and forward Derrick Jones Jr. each contributed 14 points for the Clippers. Guard Gradey Dick provided a critical spark off the bench by scoring 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, highlighted by a 25-foot three-pointer and a slam dunk that helped narrow the Thunder’s lead.

“Gradey has been really good for us. He brings a lot of energy to our entire team,” Garland said. “He’s super active defensively and he’s a great cutter off the ball as well.”

Fouls hampered the Clippers early, sending Gilgeous-Alexander to the free-throw line repeatedly during the opening quarter. Guard Jared McCain added 23 points to set a new career high.

Turnovers, which have plagued the Clippers through the early weeks of the schedule, were kept to 11 on Friday while forcing 12 from Oklahoma City. The loss drops the Thunder to 0-3 on their current West Coast trip ahead of a stop in Sacramento.

“We’ve come up empty in these games on the trip, but it’s not through lack of effort or lack of competitive spirit, or lack of team connection,” Thunder Coach Mark Daigneault said.

The Clippers return to the Intuit Dome on Sunday to host the Charlotte Hornets.