|
 Coach Doc Rivers is equally as irritated — and believes the
Warriors tried to get Griffin thrown out.
Griffin and Golden State's Draymond Green were long gone before a
wild finish Wednesday night, when Klay Thompson blocked a shot by
Chris Paul with 1 second left then contested Jamal Crawford's
3-pointer that fell short at the final buzzer to send the Warriors
past Los Angeles 105-103.
Griffin was ejected for his second technical with 10:43 remaining
after scuffling with Andrew Bogut, following Green to the showers
after they got into it at the end of the third. Green was tossed for
a flagrant 2 foul.
"If you look at it, I didn't do anything and I got thrown out of the
game. It all boils down to they (referees) fell for it," Griffin
said. "To me, it's cowardly basketball. I don't know their
intentions, but it worked. ... If I knew the answer I'd probably be
in a different position. Tonight I got two technicals for nothing."
Without Griffin, the Clippers missed too many chances in the waning
moments.
Paul's lay-in with 11.9 seconds left went around the rim and out,
but Andre Iguodala missed a pair of free throws with 9.3 seconds
remaining. That gave the Clippers the ball back with 8.3 seconds to
go.
Stephen Curry overcame a slow start to score seven of his 15 points
over the final 3:01 to go with 11 assists as Golden State snapped
the Pacific Division-leading Clippers' season-best five-game winning
streak. Thompson finished with 23 points and David Lee had 23 points
and 13 rebounds.
When the game ended, players tangled near the tunnel to the
Clippers' locker room and security personnel stepped in — and former
Warriors swingman Stephen Jackson could be seen screaming in the
middle of it all.
Whether the Warriors intended to ignite Griffin, Rivers can only
guess.
"I don't know if they were but it sure looked like it. I can't
accuse them of that but it looked like it. I'm not sure but that's
what it looked like," Rivers said. "It's whatever you have to do to
win, I guess."
This one was sure was feisty and festive from the opening tipoff at
sold-out Oracle Arena, where fans wore "Christmas Whiteout"
snowflake Warriors T-shirts for the holiday occasion.
Paul had 26 points and 11 assists as he and Curry put on a late-game
show between two of the Western Conference's top point guards.
Griffin added 20 points, 14 rebounds and five assists before his
early exit.
Bogut added 10 points and 14 rebounds.
[to top of second column] |
Neither Rivers nor Warriors coach Mark Jackson is ready to
deem this a California rivalry just yet — not until both teams
are consistent contenders year after year, they say.
It's certainly getting heated enough to be close to such status.
And they see each other twice more. The Clippers come back Jan.
30.
"We like them. Merry Christmas," Jackson said jokingly. "It's
just physical basketball, so we don't get caught up in that. ...
It's good, old-fashioned basketball between two teams that are
playing for something."
Griffin was held back by teammates at the end of the third
quarter while jawing with Green. Following a review, Griffin
received a technical and Green was ejected for a flagrant foul 2
after throwing an elbow.
"You have some key matchups in the game where guys want to go at
each other," Green said. "Any time you have that, you're going
to have a tough, hard-nosed game."
Then, officials went to review once more to look at a tussle
between Griffin and Bogut. Griffin left the game while Bogut was
hit with a flagrant 1 and a technical.
The Clippers, who never trailed in the first half, took a 77-74
lead into the see-saw fourth. They dropped to 19-3 when leading
after three quarters and 8-3 on the road.
Los Angeles beat Golden State 126-115 at home on Oct. 31 to hand
the Warriors their first loss a day after a season-opening win
against the Lakers.
Curry performed when it mattered, though he is shooting just 9
for 44 in three Christmas games. Lee and Bogut each have double
digits in rebounds in 10 straight games.
Golden State grabbed its first lead at the 10:35 mark in the
third on Bogut's running jumper and began the second half with
an 11-6 spurt.
The Warriors were 22 for 52 in the first half — taking more
shots than the Clippers' 21 of 40 — but Lee's dunk pulled Golden
State within 53-51 at halftime.
NOTES: Former Warriors G Matt Barnes got some Christmas boos
when he checked in for the Clippers midway through the first,
while Antawn Jamison still gets his due respect. ... The
Warriors played their 23rd Christmas game and third in four
years after having Christmas off for 26 years. They lost their
previous Dec. 25 outing to the Clippers 105-86 at Oracle — Los
Angeles' last on Golden State's home floor — to start the
lockout-shortened 66-game 2011-12 season. ... The Warriors
haven't lost a season series to the Clippers since 2005-06.
Golden State was one of only two teams along with the Thunder to
take three of four from Los Angeles last season. [Associated
Press]
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