LDN - Sports

Clippers continue to dominate Pistons

[November 08, 2016] LOS ANGELES -- The lopsided defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night won't go away anytime soon, Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond said.

"It's not something you want to brush off, but it's something you want to keep in the back of your head so you don't have that feeling again," Drummond said.

Chris Paul had 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and the Clippers crushed the Detroit Pistons 114-82 on at Staples Center.

J.J. Redick scored 20 points for the Clippers (6-1), who are off to their best start in franchise history. They beat the Pistons for the 11th consecutive time and matched the worst beatdown issued by the Clippers over the Pistons, tying a 129-97 rout on March 10, 2013.

"We didn't match their intensity early," said Drummond, who led the Pistons with 15 points and 12 rebounds in three quarters. "They came out and played with energy right away, and we couldn't match it. We've got to learn from it, obviously. It's a tough loss and it's tough to be a part of and watch."

Blake Griffin had 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for Los Angeles, which won its third straight overall. Griffin closed within five boards of 4,000 for his career.

Clippers guards Austin Rivers and Ray Felton came off the bench to score 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Clippers' starters sat out the fourth quarter.

"I think it was just our approach to the game," Paul said. "Our core guys -- me, Blake and (DeAndre Jordan) -- we have been together for so long we know the importance of these games. We just try to approach each game with the same mentality of not getting too high and not getting too low and staying with the same killer mentality."

Jon Leuer scored 14 points, Tobias Harris finished with 12 and Stanley Johnson added 11 for the Pistons (4-3).

The Pistons entered the game as the No. 2 scoring defense in the NBA behind the Clippers (90.7 points per game). Detroit limited opponents to 93 points per game in its six previous outings, but the Clippers almost equaled that total in three quarters, finishing the period leading 91-55.

"A very, very disappointing night," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said.

Detroit was practically out of it before the end of the first quarter, when it went down by as much as 20. Still, Clippers coach Doc Rivers was concerned after building such a big lead early.

"I was worried. Coaches always worry," Rivers said. "When we subbed out the first time I was worried that the second unit would come in, and as good as they've been, with that big of a lead not play the right way, (but) they did."

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Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) grabs a rebound against Detroit Pistons forward Aron Baynes (12) during the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Clippers, who led by as much as 43 points, roared to a 33-15 advantage after one quarter. It was the most points Detroit allowed in a quarter this season. It got no better for the Pistons. A 10-0 run by the Clippers to end the half pushed the margin to 62-32 at the break.

Paul scored 16 points in the first half by hitting 5 of 6 shots from the floor and all three of his 3-pointers. The Clippers shot 53.8 percent to 32.5 percent for the Pistons by intermission. From 3-point range, Los Angeles made 7 of 12 attempts (58.3 percent), five of those in the second quarter, to only 1 of 5 (20 percent) for Detroit.

Overall, the Clippers outshot the Pistons 53.9 percent to 36.6 percent. Los Angeles hit 13 of 25 (52 percent) of its 3-pointers to 4 of 12 (33.3 percent) for Detroit.

"One of the things we keep talking about is finishing," Paul said. "Finish the game, finish everything we do even if it's a drill every day in practice and having the same mindset and not getting complacent."

NOTES: Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said the club's current road trip would provide him a grasp of how good the team is. "It is still really early and we've been very good at home and not good on the road so far, so I think this trip will be a big test to see actually if this is something we can sustain," Van Gundy said of the Pistons, winners of four of their last six games. The Pistons visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday followed by stops at San Antonio (Friday) and Denver (Saturday). ... Clippers coach Doc Rivers praised the play of reserve F/C Marreese Speights, who was averaging 10 points entering Monday. He wound up with seven points against the Pistons. "He's been better than advertised for me," Rivers said. ... Los Angeles hosts the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

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