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 "The ball is going in the basket for us," Rivers said after the
Clippers pounded the Orlando Magic 114-86 Wednesday night at Staples
Center. "They are sharing the ball. When we looked at our analytics
for the season, it said that we were shooting poorly against
uncontested shots. Now we are making our uncontested shots. I think
that we are getting better shots and making them."
Forward Blake Griffin had 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists,
leading the Clippers to their sixth consecutive win.
Shooting guard J.J. Redick scored 20 points, and point guard Chris
Paul added 19 points, 10 assists and five rebounds for the Clippers
(13-5). Forward Matt Barnes, the only Los Angeles starter to play in
the final period, finished with 17 points.
"Blake is playing better; Chris is playing more aggressive," Rivers
said. "I think everything starts with Chris and Blake. They have
found a very great rhythm. From that, everyone is getting great
shots. When J.J. plays well, it means that the ball is really
moving. He is the one guy that needs the ball to move to get a good
shot."
It didn't hurt that the Clippers had a little extra pep in their
step.
"Being aggressive and coming out ready," said Griffin, who converted
nine of 16 shots from the floor. "We played well, and everybody had
a lot of energy."
Forward Tobias Harris led the Magic (7-14) with 16 points and eight
rebounds. Orlando, which was coming off a one-point defeat against
the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, fell for the sixth time
in seven games.
"That (Clippers) team has been playing well since they played us at
our place," Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said, referring to a 114-90
romp by Los Angeles on Nov. 19 at Orlando.
The Clippers, who never trailed, raced to a 15-point lead less than
five minutes into the contest behind Redick and Griffin. The Magic
made runs, but Los Angeles turned back each one before blowing the
game open in the third quarter.
"We were playing exactly how we should play," Griffin said. "No
matter if we are scoring or not, we are moving the ball. It never
really sticks. Defensively, everybody is there for each other."
Redick scored 17 first-half points by hitting six of seven shots
from the floor, including three of four 3-point attempts, to stake
the Clippers to a 57-44 lead at intermission. Griffin had 15 points
at the break.
Both teams struggled on foul shots in the first half. The Magic
fared better on their field-goal shooting than they did from the
line. Orlando hit four of 13 free throws (30.8 percent), with guard
Elfrid Payton being the biggest offender, bricking seven of eight.
Payton also shot consecutive air balls from the foul line. Orlando
shot 45 percent from the floor before halftime.
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The Clippers sank 11 of 17 free throws (64.7 percent) in the half
while making 55.3 percent of their field goals.
For the game, Los Angeles hit 53.8 percent of its shots compared to
41.8 percent for Orlando.
"You have to tip your hat to them; they're a good club," said
Orlando forward Channing Frye, who managed just six points in 26
minutes. "They're built to be contenders. We battled, but tonight we
didn't stop them from doing anything. They just took advantage of
us."
The Magic played without center Nikola Vucevic, who missed his
second game in a row due to back spasms. Kyle O'Quinn started in
Vucevic's spot, but O'Quinn was ejected at 5:54 of the second
quarter after committing a flagrant-2 foul on Griffin.
"I didn't really see much; I closed my eyes," Griffin said.
"Honestly, I didn't think it was a flagrant-2. I didn't think it was
anything vicious."
NOTES: Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said PG Victor Oladipo is
starting to play better after missing the first nine games of the
season due to a injuries. Oladipo, the second overall pick of the
2013 draft, scored 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting Tuesday in the
Magic's 98-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors, then added 11
points Wednesday in Los Angeles. "I think he is slowly getting into
a comfortable position being on the floor," Vaughn said. "This is a
guy that had an MCL injury and a facial fracture. That just sounds
uncomfortable. So, I think overall he is just finding himself and
understanding how to play with his teammates." ... The Magic visit
the Utah Jazz on Friday night. ... The Clippers host the New Orleans
Pelicans on Saturday.
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