LDN - Sports

Jordan lets game do talking, powers Clips over Heat

[December 17, 2016] MIAMI -- DeAndre Jordan gave his fans blocks -- not quotes.

Jordan provided rebounds -- not retorts.

He gave them the biggest basket rather than the toughest words.

The Clippers will take it.

Jordan had a game-high 19 rebounds, three blocks and a huge put-back with 7.7 seconds left to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 102-98 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

With the Clippers leading 100-98 and 9.4 seconds left, Chris Paul missed a second free throw, giving Miami an opening. But Jordan grabbed the rebound and hit a put-back to end the game.

"That's what (Jordan) does -- rebound, get buckets, make shots," Paul said.

It was poetic justice for Jordan, who was trashed by Heat counterpart Hassan Whiteside on Thursday.

When asked then about Jordan, Whiteside said he was much more versatile offensively and should not be compared to the Clippers standout:

"He catches lobs," Whiteside said of Jordan. "I shoot jumpers, catch lobs, block shots. I do a lot. He just catches lobs."

Jordan, who had his ninth double-double of the season, adding 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, didn't take an opportunity to strike back at Whiteside verbally after Friday's game.

After a purposely bland answer about just wanting to win the game, Jordan exited the interview with a jovial and knowing comment:

"That's not what you wanted, right?"

In truth, Jordan let his game do his talking.

His teammates pitched in with some words, though.

"Come on, man," Paul said before rattling off Jordan's accomplishments. "First-team All-NBA, first-team All-Defense -- he don't have to say any more."

Other than Jordan's heroics, the Clippers (20-7) got 20 points from Blake Griffin and 17 each from Paul and JJ Redick, winning their fourth game in a row.

Miami (7-20) had its two-game win streak snapped.

Two Heat players earned double-doubles. Goran Dragic had 21 points and 11 assists. Whiteside had 11 points, 17 rebounds and one block.

Whiteside was not in the game when the 6-11 Jordan grabbed his crucial rebound over 6-foot-8 forward James Johnson.

"They (the Heat) were small, and they had to be," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of that final sequence. "They had no choice because if we made the free throw (Heat coach) Erik (Spoelstra) needed to have small (players) on the floor.

"DJ (Jordan) took advantage of the size and then made the shot which was even better."

Spoelstra said he assumed Paul would make both free throws and was prepared to call a timeout to draw a play that would get Miami a three-point attempt to send the game to overtime.

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"Even if (Paul missed), I figured we would get one rebound," Spoelstra said. "One rebound -- we had a play.

"Obviously, knowing now that (Paul) would miss, I'd probably have Hassan in the game. But it would have changed that last play. I wanted to do a lot of play-making and get the best available three-point shot."

That never happened, of course, and the Heat comeback attempt -- they trailed by as many as 16 points -- fizzled.

Credit the Clippers' defense.

After allowing the Heat to shoot 54.5 percent in the first quarter, the Clippers took control of the game. They held Miami to 24-percent shooting in the second quarter and led 60-46 at the half.

Miami cut its deficit to 79-69 after three quarters and trailed by two points at the end when Jordan came up huge.

Whiteside, who had been so outspoken prior to the game, had relatively little to say after the loss.

Asked for his thoughts on not being on the floor for the final play, Whiteside was muted.

"I don't really know what to say to that," he said. "I don't know. You'll have to write no comment to that."

On his matchup with Jordan, Whiteside was again backpedaling.

"I don't know man," he said. "It wasn't really a matchup to me. I wasn't focused on the matchup. I was just trying to keep Chris Paul from getting inside."

Rivers, asked about the Jordan-Whiteside controversy, tried to minimize the whole affair.

"I don't care about that stuff," Rivers said. "First of all, I don't know that the kid (Whiteside) meant what he was saying. I think he was trying to say something else.

"But in this day and time, we make a lot of it. This wasn't Ali-Frazier."

NOTES: Heat G Tyler Johnson, who leads the NBA in fourth-quarter minutes, missed the game due to an illness. "He was playing sick (Wednesday) night," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, "and from that game it wiped him out." ... Heat G Wayne Ellington, who had a stellar first quarter with nine points, making 4-of-4 from the floor, including a three-pointer, injured his right hamstring in the third quarter and did not return. He finished with 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting. ... Heat SG Dion Waiters (groin) remains out. ... Clippers F Mbah a Moute (shoulder) missed his second straight game. ... Up next, the Heat plays host to the Boston Celtics. ... The Clippers end their three-game trip Sunday at the Washington Wizards.

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