The Clippers set a record for the largest margin of victory in franchise history in the win over the Nets

They began a series of games Wednesday night where the Clippers’ mettle was expected to be tested.

They are in this room because of the devastating wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area, which caused the postponement of a Clippers game and forced the NBA to reschedule games.

So starting with the Clippers’ 126-67 fight down by the Nets by the largest margin of victory in franchise history, LA had to play six games over nine days.

Kawhi Leonard played 23 minutes, 49 seconds and scored 23 points, both season highs. He was eight for 11 from the field as he scored a team-high at the Intuit Dome.

James Harden had 21 points, 11 assists and six rebounds in a game that the Clippers led by as many as 64 points. He now has 26,681 points over his 16-year career, pushing him past Dominique Wilkins for 15th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

When the NBA announced its rescheduling of games, it meant the Clippers would play five games next week that includes two sets of back-to-back games.

The Chicago Bulls game scheduled for Wednesday was moved to Monday, and it will be a back-to-back game as the Clippers host the Lakers on Sunday night.

The game against the Washington Wizards, originally scheduled for March 16, will be played on January 23 and comes after the Clippers host the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics on January 22 in another back-to-back.

The Clippers close out next week with a home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 25th.

The Clippers’ game against Charlotte, which was postponed on Saturday, has been postponed until March 16.

The Clippers’ game in Utah, set for February 13, has been moved to March 19.

Tickets for the original dates will be honored for the rescheduled games.

With Leonard playing in just his fourth game of the season, the Clippers will be careful with their star over this stretch.

In fact, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said the medical staff will put together a plan to use as a guide during the arduous stretch of games.

“They haven’t really figured out what we want to do right now,” Lue said. “But six games in nine days. We’ve played, I think, pretty much the top-two toughest schedule in the league so far this year. It just adds to it. So we’ve just got to take it game by game. Can’t fall victim to schedule. It’s out of the NBA’s hands what happened to our city and so we just have to lock in, take it game by game and just go from there.”

Part of that is Leonard not playing in the back-to-back Thursday night game in Portland.

Etc.

Clippers wingman Terance Mann, who did not play during Monday night’s game against Miami, did not play in the second half against the Nets because of left calf soreness. Mann had five points before leaving.