Griffin lifts Clippers over Pelicans
NEW ORLEANS -- Blake Griffin overcame a chilly offensive start to score 13 of his game-high 27 points in the decisive third quarter to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 114-96 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night at the Smoothie King Center.
Griffin missed six of his first eight shots but wound up 12 of 22 from the field. He also grabbed 10 rebounds. Reserve guard Jamal Crawford added 21 points for the Clippers (16-5), who culminated their six-game road trip with a 3-3 record.
Chris Paul added 17 points and 13 assists, including back-to-back passes that led to 3-pointers by Crawford and Luc Mbah a Moute that put the Clippers up 104-90. Paul also had eight rebounds, finishing two boards shy of a triple double.
The Pelicans (7-13), who had won their last five home games, were hampered when Anthony Davis, the NBA's leading scorer, took a shot to the right shoulder late in the first quarter.
Although Davis returned, he looked to be in pain despite posting a team-high 21 points for New Orleans. No other Pelicans starter hit for double figures.
Griffin continued his torrid shooting during a 29-19 third quarter, in which the Clippers extended their lead to 89-76. Griffin scored 13 of the Clippers' 29 points on 5-of-8 shooting, and Los Angeles led by as many as 15, 85-70. Los Angeles shot 65 percent from the field in the quarter.
The Pelicans led 30-25 at the end of the first quarter behind Davis' eight points and three rebounds, but the NBA's leading scorer took a shot to his right shoulder late in the period. Although Davis played through the pain for the remainder of the quarter, he went to the locker room between periods, and the Pelicans announced he was questionable to return.
Davis, however, did return, emerging from the tunnel with 2:57 left in the second quarter. By that time, the Pelicans' eight-point lead had turned into a seven-point deficit, but Davis hit three free throws to whittle the deficit to 60-57 at the half.
Guard E'Twaun Moore came off the bench to lead the Pelicans with 13 first-half points, and Davis added 11.
The Clippers were paced by Griffin, who overcame a 2-for-8 start from the field to make 5 of his last 6 for 16 first-half points. Paul added 10 points and seven assists in the first half.
NOTES: Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry attributed his team's improved play to better ball movement and defense. "We've come up with stops, and we've been able to get out and run and come up with easy baskets," Gentry said. "We've been pretty solid defensively over the last two or three weeks." ... The Pelicans rank second in the NBA (behind the Warriors) with three 30-assist games. "And we've had a bunch of 28- and 29-assist games," Gentry said. ... With Los Angeles playing the final game of a six-game road trip, Clippers coach Doc Rivers gave SG J.J. Redick the night off after he led the Clippers with 23 points in a 113-94 road victory over the Cavaliers Thursday night. ... Asked if Pelicans F Anthony Davis reminded him of anyone, Rivers said: "He's one of those guys who's good enough that someone's going to remind you of him -- I don't know if he's going to remind you of anybody. That's a good compliment. Tell him I said that."