Clippers 107, Magic 93
ORLANDO -- Chris Paul scored 21 points while Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick each had 20, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to an easy, 107-93 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night at the Amway Center.
The Clippers (33-17) led from start to finish to win for the fifth time in the last six games. The Magic (21-28) continued their downward slide, losing 15 of their last 17 games.
Center DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and a game-high 18 rebounds. Paul Pierce had 12 points. Reserve Lance Stephenson had 13 points.
Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 18 points. Reserve Evan Fournier had 16 points. Nikola Vucevic had 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Tobias Harris had 13 points and eight rebounds before leaving early in the fourth quarter when he was hit in the face by Oladipo. Harris went to the locker room with a cut bleeding above his left eye and never returned.
The Clippers shot 54 percent from the field (40 of 74), while the Magic shot just 42 percent (34 of 81). The Clippers had 22 turnovers but never were seriously challenged.
The Magic got within four points early in the fourth quarter, but Stephenson responded with a 3-point play and the Magic were close again.
The Magic, after trailing the entire game, cut the deficit to two points late in the third period on a 3-pointer by reserve Mario Hezonja. Lance Stephenson scored at the buzzer for the 77-73 lead going into the fourth.
The Clippers had 14 turnovers in the first half, but they still led by as many 16 points in the second quarter. They led, 55-44, at intermission. Redick scored his team's first six points and had 14 by halftime, including a trio of 3-pointers.
The Clippers shot well early, making 20 of 34 shots (58.8 percent), while the Magic made just 18 of 48 (37.5 percent). The Clippers never trailed in the first two periods after Redick opened the scoring with a 3-pointer. Jordan had11 rebounds and eight points before halftime.
Fournier had 12 points in the first half, including the last five of the second quarter.
NOTES: The Clippers are still awaiting word on an NBA suspension for PF Blake Griffin, who broke his right hand last month when he punched the team's assistant equipment manager. Griffin already was on the sideline with a strained quadriceps tendon. The Clippers, though, have done well without their All-Star, going 15-4 this season with him on the sideline. ... Longtime NBA columnist Mitch Lawrence is reporting that the Clippers are talking with Denver about a possible trade of Griffin, but coach Doc Rivers scoffed at the mention before the game. "Blake's ours, and he's going to stay ours." ... Clippers reserve G Austin Rivers sat out with a bad contusion on his left hand, sustained in the loss to Minnesota on Wednesday. Rivers played his high school basketball in Central Florida and had plenty of friends at the game. ... Magic reserve C Dewayne Dedmon returned to action after missing Wednesday's game with a sprained left foot.