The Los Angeles Clippers emerged victorious with a 119-104 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, led by a season-high 30 points from Bogdan Bogdanovic and a dominant 26-point, 14-rebound performance by Ivica Zubac. James Harden also had a notable contribution, finishing with 24 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds, guiding the Clippers to their fourth win in five games.
This victory was significant for the Clippers as they moved closer to the Golden State Warriors, who are in the No. 6 playoff spot in the Western Conference, now just 1 1/2 games ahead of Los Angeles. The win also marked another strong showing without head coach Tyronn Lue, who has missed three consecutive games due to back pain. Assistant coach Brian Shaw stepped in as acting head coach once again.
Despite the loss, Tyler Herro had a standout performance for the Heat, scoring 31 points, while Andrew Wiggins added 22. However, Miami has now dropped five consecutive games and is struggling in the playoff race, falling 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the No. 7 spot and the best play-in position in the Eastern Conference.
With Kawhi Leonard resting on the second night of a back-to-back, the Clippers were still able to build on their recent momentum. Leonard has been a key factor in their success against Miami, with his teams winning 15 consecutive regular-season games against the Heat. The Clippers’ performance was also highlighted by Zubac’s tenth consecutive double-double, making him one of the league’s most consistent players in recent weeks.
Miami’s loss marked their fifth straight defeat, extending a troubling trend. They now find themselves on a season-high losing streak, and this marks just the fourth time in the last seven years that they’ve had a losing streak of at least five games. They’ll need to quickly turn things around to secure a favorable spot in the East’s playoff race.
A pivotal 13-4 run by the Clippers in the fourth quarter pushed their lead from eight points to 17, effectively sealing the game with just under five minutes remaining. The Heat couldn’t respond, and Los Angeles closed out the game in commanding fashion.
Zubac’s impressive 10 consecutive double-doubles place him in elite company, joining players like Domantas Sabonis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama. His dominant play inside continues to be a crucial factor for the Clippers.
Both teams are back in action on Friday. The Clippers will travel to Atlanta, while Miami will return home to face the Boston Celtics.
