Lou Williams' game-winner lifts Clippers past Nets

MANILA, Philippines – Count on Lou Williams to bail his team out.

Williams shrugged off the Brooklyn Nets pesky defense and drained the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 119-116 win on Sunday, March 17 (Monday, March 18, Philippine time).

The score was knotted at 116-all before Williams, who finished with a team-high 25 points and 6 rebounds, sank a shot over Spencer Dinwiddie from way beyond the three-point line to push the Clippers to victory.

@TeamLou23 scores 25 PTS and sinks the game-winning three, sparking the @LAClippers win against BKN! #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/E93ZH2ovCM
— NBA (@NBA) March 18, 2019

Improving to 41-30, Los Angeles strengthened its hold of the 8th and final playoff berth in the Western Conference with a six-win advantage over the Sacramento Kings.

Danilo Gallinari had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists while Montrezl Harrell chalked up 20 points, 10 rebounds as the Clippers prevented the Nets from completing their comeback from a double-digit deficit.

Brooklyn trailed 106-116 with a minute left before it unloaded 10 straight points – capped by a DeMarre Carroll dunk – to level the score.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet delivered 12 points each while Patrick Beverly added 10 points in the win.

D’Angelo Russell put up a game-high 32 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds for the Nets, which remained at 7th place in the East behind a 36-36 record.

Elsewhere, the Houston Rockets have won 11 of their last 12 games following a 117-102 drubbing of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

@CP3 (25 PTS, 10 AST, 7 REB) ties a career-high six threes made to lead the @HoustonRockets vs. MIN! #Rockets pic.twitter.com/1JLLaeSarO
— NBA (@NBA) March 18, 2019