Clippers prevent Knicks from clinching a playoff spot with 126-113 victory

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden had 29 points, six rebounds and six assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points and the Los Angeles Clippers prevented the New York Knicks from clinching a playoff berth with a 126-113 victory Wednesday night.

Norman Powell added 19 points and Ivica Zubac finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers, who improved to 41-31 and tied Golden State for sixth place in the Western Conference, the final guaranteed postseason place.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 34 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who were looking to follow Cleveland and Boston and become the third team to wrap up a spot in the East.

The Knicks started impressively on the second night of a back-to-back, going 8 for 9 en route to an 18-5 lead. But the Clippers blew by them with a 16-3 run to end the third quarter and broke it open in the fourth.

Clippers: Los Angeles bounced back from a loss to Oklahoma City that snapped its five-game winning streak and got off to a good start on a four-game road trip as it tries to avoid the play-in tournament.

Knicks: The Knicks fell to 5-5 without Jalen Brunson (sprained right ankle) and are running out of point guards. Deuce McBride, his original replacement, was out with a strained left groin and Cam Payne missed the second half after spraining his right ankle while scoring 15 points in the first half.

With the Clippers down 81-78, Harden scored their next 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers, to power the 16-3 finish to the third quarter.

A night after his first triple-double with the Knicks, Towns had his 18th game with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, tying Patrick Ewing for third-most in a season by a Knicks player.

The Clippers stay in New York to visit Brooklyn on Friday. The Knicks visit Milwaukee on Friday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) looks to drive past LA Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LA Clippers guard Ben Simmons (25) drives past New York Knicks forward Precious Achiuwa during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LA Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) drives between New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and Tyler Kolek during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) dunks the ball over LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LA Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots over New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

LA Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) looks to pass around LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.

Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.

“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”

And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”

Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.

Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.

He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.

At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.

The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)

The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)