LDN - Sports

Paul gets hurt, but Clippers clobber Thunder

[January 17, 2017] LOS ANGELES -- An inside job allowed the Los Angeles Clippers to pull a heist on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

Despite losing point guard Chris Paul in the first half, the Clippers didn't miss a beat in pounding the Thunder 120-98 at Staples Center.

DeAndre Jordan collected 19 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, and the Clippers captured their seventh consecutive win. Marreese Speights led the Clippers (29-14) with 23 points to go with 10 rebounds. J.J. Redick scored 20 points, Austin Rivers contributed 16, and Raymond Felton had 15 points for Los Angeles.

"I feel like we did a pretty good job defensively tonight, and that set the tone," said Jordan, who was 7 of 8 from the floor and 5 of 8 from the foul line.

In their last meeting on Dec. 31 in Oklahoma City, the Thunder robbed the Clippers with their inside game in a 114-88 romp. Clippers coach Doc Rivers didn't forget.

"It was a focus. They destroyed us in the paint in Oklahoma, and our whole goal was to own the paint tonight," said Rivers, whose club enjoyed a 62-34 edge in points in the paint and outrebounded the Thunder 47-36. "I thought our guys did that, I thought our guards played downhill. Raymond, Austin and Jamal (Crawford), they just kept getting into the paint, getting into the paint. That was what we wanted to do, and that's what we did."

Paul left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left thumb and did not return. He finished with eight points and six assists in 14 minutes.

Doc Rivers said X-rays were negative, but added that Paul would undergo an MRI exam Tuesday.

Russell Westbrook failed to register a triple-double for the first time in four games. Westbrook had 24 points, five boards and four assists in 29 minutes. He did not play in the fourth quarter because the Clippers had the victory in hand.

"We just were not ready to play," said Westbrook, who shot 7 of 19 from the floor and 2 of 7 from 3-point range. "We need to be more physical."

Joffrey Lauvergne added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Enes Kanter chipped in 12 points for Oklahoma City (25-18).

The Thunder played without center Steven Adams, who sustained a concussion Sunday in a win over the Sacramento Kings.

The Clippers dominated early and continued to hammer away at the Thunder in the second half. Los Angeles was ahead by as much as 22 in the first half before taking a 64-47 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Clippers increased the margin to as much as 27. The Thunder never recovered.

"When you can have fun like that and you can win basketball games, that is what it is all about," Felton said.

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Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) moves the ball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers (25) and center Marreese Speights (5) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Clippers limited Oklahoma City to 34.7 percent shooting in the first half while hitting 51.1 percent of their attempts. They also enjoyed an edge from 3-point range, converting 8 of 17 (47.1 percent) to 4 of 18 (22.2 percent) for the Thunder.

Overall, the Clippers made 54.9 percent to 42.4 percent for the Thunder. From long distance, the Clippers were 12 of 28 (42.9 percent) to 10 of 30 (33.3 percent) for the Thunder.

"I thought we missed a lot of easy shots we could make," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "I thought we had a really hard time guarding the ball, keeping the ball out of the paint, pick-and-roll coverage and getting the ball stopped at the point of screen. Those are all the standard things that we talk about every day that you want to be able to do."

The only area Doc Rivers wasn't pleased with was the technical fouls earned by Austin Rivers and Jordan. Still, the elder Rivers found humor in it.

"Austin is like his mom," Doc Rivers deadpanned.

Clippers forward Wesley Johnson missed the contest for personal reasons.

The win allowed Los Angeles to even the season series at two games apiece.

NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers remains encouraged by the progress of F Blake Griffin (right knee surgery) and believes the team's leading scorer will return within the timetable the club initially set. At the time, the Clippers said Griffin would be out four to six weeks. Rivers, though, refused to narrow the window on a date for Griffin, who missed his 15th game since undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on Dec. 20. "I don't think the timeframe will change, but I do know he looks great," Rivers said. ... Thunder F Steven Adams must clear the concussion protocol before he is reinserted into the lineup. ... The Thunder will face former teammate Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in Oakland, Calif. ... The Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

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