Nimphius, Bridgeman Lead Clippers to Victory

Kurt Nimphius scored 26 points and Junior Bridgeman 25, both season highs, as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New York Knicks, 110-99, Sunday night.

Bridgeman, who came off the bench in the second quarter, had seven points in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter, sparking the Clippers to a 98-82 lead with 8:22 left.

Louis Orr, who scored 28 points, tying his career high, led a Knicks’ rally that cut the deficit to 101-91 on Trent Tucker’s layup with 5 1/2 minutes to go. But the Clippers held New York to just one basket over the next 3 1/2 minutes to rebuild the margin to 106-93 on Cedric Maxwell’s free throw with 3:18.

New York, trailing by as many as 12 points midway through the third quarter, closed the margin to 78-73 with 2:28 remaining before the Clippers finished the period ahead 87-78.

Bridgeman had 13 second-quarter points and sparked a 25-11 streak over a six-minute span to help the Clippers lead 56-39. Tucker’s three three-point field goals helped New York close the gap to 61-54 at halftime.

Ken Bannister had 20 points for New York.