Quick Hitters

Fourth-quarter run leads Clippers over Suns

PHOENIX — Tobias Harris scored 27 points and the Los Angeles Clippers gained a little ground in the Western Conference playoff race with a 111-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

Harris had 15 points in the third quarter, and Los Angeles pulled away early in the fourth with an 18-0 run.

The Clippers (41-34) moved to a game out of the eighth playoff spot, one game behind the Jazz after Utah’s 97-94 loss to Boston.

Austin Rivers had 18 points and eight assists, and DeAndre Jordan added 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Clippers, who have won four of five.

Tyler Ulis led Phoenix with a season-high 23 points and rookie Josh Jackson added 18. Jackson has scored 15 or more points in eight straight games, but the Suns’ losing streak reached 13 games.

The Suns were without four injured players who get regular minutes: guards Devin Booker and Elfrid Payton, center Alex Len and forward T.J. Warren. Payton, who played in Monday’s loss to Boston, was ruled out before the game with knee tenderness.

Jordan reached 7,000 points for his 10-season career with a first-quarter dunk, his first points of the game. The first quarter saw eight ties and five lead changes, but the Suns ended it ahead 32-27 on a buzzer-beating 3 from Ulis.

Rivers’ 25-footer with a second left had the Clippers in front 58-56 at halftime.