Clippers at Thunder
The Los Angeles Clippers are playing like the best team in the NBA and they have the record to prove it as they enter Friday's contest against the host Oklahoma City Thunder. The Clippers are off to a franchise-best 7-1 start behind suffocating defense but that lone defeat was to the Thunder, 85-83 in Los Angeles on Nov. 2.
The Clippers lead the NBA in scoring defense at 88.3 points per game and they crushed the Portland Trail Blazers 111-80 on Wednesday. "When you play defense the way we have been, it's a lot of fun," power forward Blake Griffin said afterward. "We enjoy getting stops and look forward to getting stops. Guys are just flying around, and even if someone makes a mistake, there's another guy to cover up for them. When you are playing basketball like that, it's a blast." Oklahoma City could've been tied with the Clippers for the best record but it suffered a 112-102 home loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. Thunder star point guard Russell Westbrook hit the game-winning shot with 18.7 seconds remaining in the recent win over the Clippers while scoring 35 points.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FSN Oklahoma
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (7-1): Los Angeles allowed an average of 84.7 points while winning the past three games by an average of 29 points, and the players are taking great pride in the performances. "Everybody's happy. We want to see each other excel and succeed out there," center DeAndre Jordan told reporters, "and it's cool to see because we have such a deep team this year, and everybody's here for one reason. When everybody's on the same page like that, it's fun to play basketball that way." Griffin has been playing superbly and has six double-doubles after producing 22 points and 13 rebounds in the rout of Portland.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (6-2): Westbrook continues to carry the squad but is just 14-of-42 from the field - including 4-of-18 from 3-point range - over the past two contests. His 36-point outing against Toronto was his fifth 30-point effort of the campaign, and he is second in the NBA in scoring at 31.1 points and third in assists (9.5). Shooting guard Victor Oladipo is averaging 16 points and settling in as the team's second scoring option, and he knocked down a season-high five 3-pointers against the Raptors.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Thunder won three straight meetings and four of the past five.
2. Oklahoma City C Steven Adams matched season highs of 14 points and 12 rebounds against Toronto for his second double-double of the campaign.
3. Los Angeles SG Jamal Crawford scored in single digits in four of the past five games and is shooting 32.6 percent during the stretch.