Dominick Barlow Steals the Night as Sixers Beat Clippers in Inglewood
Feb 2, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow (25) shoots against Los Angeles Clippers center Brook Lopez (11) and forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dominick Barlow set the tone before the Clippers could settle in. He owned the paint from the opening tip and gave the Philadelphia 76ers the early margin they would need to close out a 128-113 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers, even as the same post-halftime issues surfaced again. It was a career night for Barlow and another reminder that this team still makes things harder than they have to be.
Tonight’s game would be played without the Clippers dynamic floor general, James Harden, for personal reasons, forcing the Clippers to forego the scheduled rest night for Kawhi Leonard at the beautiful new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, in a late start for Sixers fans watching back home. The Sixers came in well rested, and the Clippers are on the second half of a back-to-back, so the Sixers were definitely the fresher team.
That would be glaringly obvious in the first quarter, as it was the Barlow and Tyrese Maxey show. Barlow flirted with a double-double in the first quarter alone, where he put up 11 points and had 7 rebounds. Not only was he scoring, but he was also active all over the court. Maxey, on the other hand, was on the court for the entirety of the first quarter, dropping in 16 points.
The second quarter was a little more balanced, with Kelly Oubre Jr. putting in some tough buckets, including a three-pointer that got everyone on the 76ers bench up and excited.
The Clippers played much better, playing even with the Sixers in the second quarter, but keeping the 19-point lead that came from the first quarter. While the teams were in the locker room for the half, news emerged that the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers are in advanced talks for a trade that would send Harden to Cleveland.
The second half continued a story that has defined the 76ers to this point in the season. They were again outplayed in the third quarter, with Leonard ending the quarter with 22 and the Clippers eating into the 76ers’ lead, closing out the quarter 100-87. The fourth quarter was a bit back and forth, with the Clippers refusing to go away until 2 minutes left in the 4th. Though it feels like the Sixers won’t be giving us a stress-free night any time soon, they take the win tonight, 128-113.
Barlow Has a Career Night, Sets the Tone Early
The way tonight started was a reminder that effort can be a skill, and Barlow treated it that way. He finished with 26 points and 16 rebounds on 10-for-16 shooting, and the loudest number was 10 offensive boards. He did not need plays called for him to matter. He created extra possessions, got putbacks, drew contact, and basically made a loud statement to the Clippers that the Sixers first shot was not the only shot they’d be getting on each trip down the court.
That’s why the first quarter felt like his quarter, even though his impressive stat line tonight is a testament to his consistent play over all four quarters. The 76ers went up 38-19 after one largely because the paint belonged to them early, and Barlow was the main reason the Clippers never got comfortable on the glass. More importantly, no turnovers and high motor plays like steals and a block to add to his incredible night. This is the kind of play that makes coaches trust you and gets you more playing time. His play tonight is exactly what is needed to keep the Sixers afloat during the extended period without Paul George while he is serving his 25-game suspension. Tonight is a very good start with him becoming the first Sixer with 25 points and 10 offensive rebounds since Charles Barkley in November of 1990.
The Third Quarter is Still Hurting the Sixers
This is the part of the team that has been a consistent thorn in the side of the club all season. The Sixers left the court for halftime up 72-53, having done just about everything you ask of a road team against a depleted Clippers roster. Then the third quarter started, and yet again, the Sixers did their best to make the game much closer than it needed to be. They were outscored 34-28, and while the margin never fully collapsed, the flow and the pace certainly suffered. Poor shot selection was on full display, while defensive possessions stretched longer than they needed to, thanks to the execution of Leonard and Jordan Miller. It felt familiar in the worst way, and it doesn’t look at all like this is going to be changing.
This isn’t a single-night issue; it’s a pattern that has shown up all season. The Sixers rank 30th in the NBA in third-quarter point differential at minus 4.3 per game. Dead last. That’s not something to overlook moving forward. That is a season-long identity issue that we’ve seen over and over, regardless of lineup, matchup, or venue. Even on a night where the offense was balanced and efficient overall, like tonight, the third quarter still was more survival than it was control. Wins like this are welcome, but the question hanging over the Sixers is obvious: How long can a team keep allowing the other teams to claw back after halftime and expect it not to matter when the games actually start to count? It’s on Nick Nurse to do what he can to curb this trend before the playoffs start.
Five Score Double Figures and the Offense Looked Like a Team
This was scoring that came from everywhere, not one player bailing them out. Maxey had 29, Joel Embiid had 24, and Barlow added his 26, so you got three players at 20-plus, and all three had their moment of taking the game over, but also the bench showed up too. Oubre Jr. scored 15, and Quentin Grimes had 14, which is how you get to five double-figure scorers and keep a road game from getting weird late. VJ Edgecombe had a rare off-night shooting the ball, but realizing tonight wasn’t his night shooting, he became the facilitator, leading the team in assists.
The box score tells you exactly why this one stayed in the Sixers’ control. The Sixers hit 17 threes, shot 48% overall, and went 21-for-22 at the line, which is the reason that they took the win tonight. The bigger tell is 30 assists, because that’s the stat that usually plateaus when a team gets tight. Even with the third-quarter momentum change, the ball moved more than once most of the night, the shot quality stayed mostly consistent short of the third quarter, and the fourth quarter stayed close because contributions came from everywhere instead of one guy playing superhero. So the question you should be asking yourself: if the Sixers can share the workload like this on the road, why does the third quarter keep showing up like a tax bill?
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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