Clippers topple Trail Blazers 96-83

[January 28, 2013]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Blake Griffin had 23 points and nine assists and the Los Angeles Clippers ended a four-game losing streak with a 96-83 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

The Clippers have the third-best record in the NBA at 33-13, 2 1/2 games behind San Antonio.

Eric Bledsoe had 10 points, five assists and five rebounds in his seventh start as point guard.

Chris Paul missed his fourth straight game and seventh in the past nine because of a bruised right kneecap. Lamar Odom had eight points, 13 rebounds and six assists.

All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge led the Trail Blazers with 21 points and 11 rebounds. It was Portland's seventh loss in nine games, and it came in the second part of a home-and-home set with the Clippers.

Portland never led in the second half on Sunday, falling behind 74-59 after a driving layup by Bledsoe with 3:15 left in the third quarter.

Griffin didn't play after going to the bench with 10 seconds left in the third quarter and the Clippers leading 78-62.

But they built the margin to as many as 19 points on a layup by forward Ronny Turiaf with 6:23 remaining.

Griffin powered the Clippers to a 55-50 halftime lead with 15 points, including a fast break dunk off a long pass from DeAndre Jordan just before intermission.

Griffin had an assist on six of their first nine baskets, including Jordan's alley-oop dunk and 3-pointers by Caron Butler and Matt Barnes.

Los Angeles was leading 46-40 when Butler's fadeaway 3-pointer from in front of the Clippers' bench was disallowed because of an offensive foul called against him with 4:31 remaining in the second quarter.

Butler picked up his third foul just 14 seconds later, but remained in the game until he was removed by coach Vinny Del Negro with 3:16 left in the half.

NOTES: The Trail Blazers had 25 assists on their first 26 baskets. ... Bledsoe played 36 minutes without committing a turnover. ... Los Angeles outscored Portland 56-24 in the paint. ... The Clippers head out on a seven-game road trip. ... The Clippers shot 51.2 percent, and are 14-1 when shooting at least 50 percent.

[Associated Press; By JOE RESNICK]

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