Clippers 101, Pistons 96
LOS ANGELES --- Forward Blake Griffin had 34 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, and guard Jamal Crawford scored a season-high 37 points, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 101-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at Staples Center.
Crawford delivered some clutch free throws down the stretch as the Clippers (6-4) ended a two-game slide.
Forward Ersan Ilyasova and point guard Reggie Jackson had 20 points apiece to lead the Pistons (5-4), who have dropped three in a row. Center Andre Drummond finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds.
Guard Austin Rivers, who finished with 13 points, nailed a 3-point jumper from the corner to lift the Clippers to a 93-90 lead with 2:34 remaining in the contest, and they never trailed again. Ilyasova hit two foul shots to cut the deficit to one, but Griffin countered with hook shot to keep the lead at three with 1:28 left.
After Drummond canned a pair of free throws to pull the Pistons within one again, Griffin buried a jumper with 17.9 left to push the advantage to 97-94.
Jackson made two free throws with 8.2 seconds remaining to slice the lead to one but Crawford converted a pair of foul shots with 7.3 seconds left. A 3-point shot by Detroit guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drew nothing but air. Crawford sealed the deal with two more free throws with 3.8 seconds to cap the scoring.
The Clippers prevailed despite playing without starting guards Chris Paul (right groin strain) and J.J. Redick (back spasms). Clippers coach Doc Rivers started Crawford and Austin Rivers in the backcourt and replaced forward Lance Stephenson with Paul Pierce. However, they couldn't keep up with the Pistons in the first half.
Detroit led by as much as 17 before taking a 60-51 lead at the break.
Three free throws by Ilyasova boosted the Pistons to a 75-64 cushion with 4:34 left in the third quarter. However, the Clippers closed with a 17-5 surge for an 81-80 lead after Crawford's bucket ended the quarter.
NOTES: Consistency is the biggest challenge for Pistons C Andre Drummond, the NBA's leading rebounder at 19.3 per game, who averaged 18.3 points per game entering Saturday's contest, according to Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy. "What he's got to understand is there's a connection between how he plays and how we play," Van Gundy said. "He's huge to what we do." ... Rebounding is a major concern for Clippers coach Doc Rivers. "We're not doing a great job," said Rivers, whose club was outrebounded in eight of its nine previous contests. "We have to rebound as a team so much better. ... The Pistons face the Lakers on Sunday at Staples Center, while the Clippers are off until Thursday, when they host the Golden State Warriors. ... A moment of silence was held for victims of the Paris attacks.