Clippers roll past Blazers for 4th consecutive win
LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin recorded 22 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers ripped the Portland Trail Blazers 111-80 Wednesday night at Staples Center.
It was the largest margin of victory by the Clippers over the Trail Blazers.
Chris Paul scored 19 points and handed out seven assists as the Clippers (7-1) won their fourth in a row. DeAndre Jordan added 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Marreese Speights came off the bench to score 12 points and collect eight rebounds.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers, whose team leads the Western Conference, removed his starters with a little less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Shabazz Napier finished with 11 points to lead the Blazers. No Portland starter reached double figures. Damian Lillard, who missed nine of 10 shots, and CJ McCollum finished with eight points apiece. They combined to go 0 of 6 on 3-point attempts.
The Trail Blazers, who were coming off a 124-121 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, had their three-game winning streak snapped. The Blazers (5-4) have dropped eight of the past 10 regular-season meetings, including the last three, to the Clippers.
Los Angeles, which entered the contest leading the NBA in points allowed at 89.4 per game, held an opponent under 100 points for the seventh consecutive game. The Trail Blazers are the only team to top the mark in a 114-106 loss to the Clippers in the opener on Oct. 27.
Los Angeles, which led by as much as 48 points, staked itself to a 36-16 after one quarter. The Clippers pushed the margin to 61-32 at the break.
It got worse for Portland in the third as the Los Angeles' lead ballooned to 93-50 at the end of the quarter.
The Clippers shot 46.7 percent to 30 percent for the Trail Blazers in the first half. Portland missed 10 consecutive 3-point attempts before finishing the half 1 of 13, while the Clippers converted 5 of 13 (38.5 percent).
Overall, the Clippers outshot the Blazers 43.7 percent to 35.2 percent.
Los Angeles committed seven turnovers (leading to only two points) to 14 for Portland (setting up 17 points).
NOTES: Portland coach Terry Stotts offered a candid assessment of the election of Donald Trump as president. "I was very disappointed. I wholeheartedly agree with what Stan Van Gundy said," Stotts said. Van Gundy, coach of the Detroit Pistons, called Trump "brazenly racist and misogynistic" earlier Wednesday. "I hope the country works out. He certainly wouldn't have been my choice," Stotts added. ... Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers said "change" comes by voting instead of protesting. "Don't get mad, go do something," Rivers said. "That's my thing right now. Go do something if you want change." ... Clippers C DeAndre Jordan played his 600th game. ... Blazers G Damian Lillard scored more points (262) in the previous eight games than any player since Kobe Bryant had 264 during the 2009-10 season. ... Both clubs resume play Friday. The Blazers host the Sacramento Kings, while the Clippers visit the Oklahoma City Thunder.