James Harden scored 23 points and Ivica Zubac had 16 points and 12 rebounds as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers earned their fifth straight win by pounding the Philadelphia 76ers 125-99 on Sunday.
In the opener of a four-game road trip, Los Angeles shot 58 percent from the field and 40 percent from long range and dominated the boards 44-33 despite playing without leading scorer Norman Powell (hamstring) and two-way standout Kawhi Leonard (knee).
Derrick Jones Jr. chipped in 18 points for the Clippers, while Terance Mann had 13 off the bench.
Jared McCain scored 18 points on 3-of-15 shooting from the floor for Philadelphia, which continued to play without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (knee). Tyrese Maxey chipped in 17 points, while Kelly Oubre Jr. notched 12.
The Clippers shot 60 percent from the field in the first quarter, with Harden and Amir Coffey each knocking down a pair of 3-pointers. Los Angeles stormed in front 17-5 after less than five minutes had elapsed, and it led by as many as 19 en route to a 39-27 advantage after one quarter.
Los Angeles led by at least 11 points throughout the second stanza and went into the break in front 62-50.
The Clippers opened the third quarter on a 9-1 run — Jones scored the first five points of that surge — to bring the lead to 20 for the first time.
Maxey’s 3-pointer shortly thereafter inched the hosts within 73-56, but the visitors scored 13 of the next 15 points to go ahead 86-58.
Kris Dunn’s layup with about four minutes left in the third sent the lead north of 30 for the first time. Los Angeles then took its largest lead on Kevin Porter Jr.’s bucket that made it 95-62 less than a minute later.
The Sixers made a 10-2 push to end the third quarter, a run capped by McCain’s 3-pointer, to get within 25 heading into the final period.
Philadelphia never seriously challenged in the fourth in falling to 3-13 on the season.
