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 JJ Redick hit a jump shot as time expired, and the Clippers
defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 96-94 Thursday at Staples
Center.
With Portland's Mason Plumlee leaping in the air to defend the
inbounds pass, Chris Paul threw a bounce pass between the defender's
legs and hit Redick in stride for the game-winner.
Crawford sank a 3-point shot to tie the game with 11 seconds
remaining in regulation after Portland's Damian Lillard sank a
3-pointer with 23.9 seconds to go.
The Blazers had an opportunity to take the lead prior to Redick's
shot, but Maurice Harkless could not convert a driving layup attempt
with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Paul and Jamal Crawford scored 25 points apiece for Los Angeles,
which broke a three-game losing streak. Redick finished with 11
points, and DeAndre Jordan added 12 points and 13 rebounds.
 While Redick's shot won the game, Crawford kept the Clippers in the
contest throughout the second half, scoring 19 of his 25 points
after intermission while making three of five from 3-point range.
Lillard scored 18 points and handed out eight assists for Portland,
and CJ McCollum added 17 points. Ed Davis contributed 12 points and
eight rebounds, while Plumlee chipped in with 11 points and six
rebounds.
Paul said that Plumlee's decision to defend the last play in a
leaping fashion helped him execute the pass.
"At first I didn't see JJ," Paul said. "But then Plumlee leaped high
enough so I could throw (Redick) that lead, and he did the rest."
Los Angeles did a strong defensive job on Lillard, who shot only
4-for-16 from the field, including 2-for-8 from 3-point range.
Despite his off night, the Blazers point guard put his team in
position to win by producing six points in the game's final minute.
He converted a three-point play with 46.8 seconds remaining before
hitting the 3-pointer that gave Portland its final lead of the
night.
"We did a lot of good things tonight," Portland coach Terry Stotts
said. "They scored nine straight times. You have to come up with a
stop at the end, and we didn't do it. Redick is one of the best
shooters in the league." According to Lillard, the Blazers were
aware that the last play for likely being set for Redick.
"We had guys all over (Redick), he just made a tough shot," Lillard
said. "The last two possession I was able to score, but they
answered back. We had a good look at the end, they got the rebound
and wound up with the win."
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With the Clippers essentially locked in to the fourth position in
the Western Conference, the last-second victory was more important
from an emotional standpoint than a playoff-seeding scenario.
"We don't want to be limping into the playoffs," Redick said. "Last
season we were 14-2 down the stretch, and we have to be much better
now. Hopefully, tonight will get us going in the right direction."
Los Angeles shot 45.1 percent from the field (37-for-82) while
Portland shot 40 percent (32-for-80). The Blazers hit just 25
percent from 3-point range (6-for-24), the Clippers 21.1 percent
(4-for-19).
In the third quarter, Portland (37-36) took advantage of cold Los
Angeles shooting and foul trouble to draw even at 50 with 7:42
remaining. The Clippers regained a six-point lead, but the Blazers
tied the game at 65 with a six-point run that was capped when Allen
Crabbe hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Clippers (44-27) used a 14-4 run in the last 4:50 of the second
quarter to take a 46-39 lead at the break, with Paul scoring nine
points in that stretch. Portland's offense was slowed by its poor
3-point shooting, going 1-for-13 from behind the arc in the opening
half.
NOTES: Blazers F Ed Davis has hauled in 526 rebounds in 71 games,
placing him first all-time for most rebounds off the bench in a
season in franchise history. He broke the record of 503 set by Dale
Schlueter in 1970-71). ... Clippers coach Doc Rivers was optimistic
about the return of Blake Griffin before the end of the regular
season. "He's doing great. He looks pretty good, so that's why I
feel confident," Rivers said in Oakland on Wednesday prior to the
loss to Golden State. "I think he will return, but I don't think any
of us know anything in that regard. I think he will be." ... The
Clippers continue a three-game homestand against Denver on Sunday.
The Blazers start a four-game homestand against Philadelphia on
Saturday.
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