Paul gets hurt, but Clippers clobber Thunder
LOS ANGELES -- Despite losing point guard Chris Paul in the first half, the Los Angeles Clippers didn't miss a beat in pounding the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
DeAndre Jordan collected 19 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, and the Clippers captured their seventh consecutive win with a 120-98 rout of the Thunder at Staples Center.
Marreese Speights led the Clippers (29-14) with 23 points to go with 10 rebounds. J.J. Redick scored 20 points, Austin Rivers contributed 16, and Raymond Felton had 15 points for Los Angeles.
Paul left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left thumb and did not return. He finished with eight points and six assists in 14 minutes.
Russell Westbrook failed to register a triple-double for the first time in four games. Westbrook had 24 points, five boards and four assists in 29 minutes. Joffrey Lauvergne added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Enes Kanter chipped in 12 points for Oklahoma City (25-18).
The Thunder played without center Steven Adams, who sustained a concussion Sunday in a win over the Sacramento Kings.
The Clippers dominated early and continued to hammer away at the Thunder in the second half. Los Angeles were ahead by as much as 22 in the first half before taking a 64-47 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Clippers increased the margin to as much as 27. The Thunder never recovered.
The Clippers limited Oklahoma City to 34.7 percent shooting in the first half while hitting 51.1 percent of their attempts. They also enjoyed an edge from 3-point range, converting 8 of 17 (47.1 percent) to 4 of 18 (22.2 percent) for the Thunder.
Overall, the Clippers made 54.9 percent to 42.4 percent for the Thunder. From long distance, the Clippers were 12 of 28 (42.9 percent) to 10 of 30 (33.3 percent) for the Thunder.
Clippers forward Wesley Johnson missed the contest for personal reasons.
The win allowed Los Angeles to even the season series at two games apiece.
NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers remains encouraged by the progress of F Blake Griffin (right knee surgery) and believes the team's leading scorer will return within the timetable the club initially set. At the time, the Clippers said Griffin would be out four to six weeks. Rivers, though, refused to narrow the window on a date for Griffin, who missed his 15th game since undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on Dec. 20. "I don't think the timeframe will change, but I do know he looks great," Rivers said. ... Thunder F Steven Adams must clear the concussion protocol before he is reinserted into the lineup. ... The Thunder will face former mate Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. ... The Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.