Clippers end skid with win over Knicks
NEW YORK -- Blake Griffin scored 32 points and DeAndre Jordan tossed in 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 119-115 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
The Clippers (32-21) stopped a three-game losing streak and have now won nine straight against the Knicks (22-32).
Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 28 points and nine rebounds, Kristaps Porzingis added 27 points and Derrick Rose scored 20.
Porzingis hit 1 of 2 from the line to trim the Clippers lead to 118-115, but Anthony missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 8.9 left.
After Anthony's 3-pointer cut the Los Angeles lead to 116-114, Jordan responded with a tip-in for a 118-114 cushion at the 29.6 mark.
Crawford ignited an 8-0 burst with a turnaround jumper that tied it at 111-111, then nailed a 3-pointer for a 114-111 Clippers lead with 1:14 to play. Jordan followed with a layup for a 116-111 advantage.
Porzingis hit a jumper, then drove the lane for a dunk on the next possession, providing New York with a 111-109 lead with 1:56 left to play.
A 9-2 Clippers run gave Los Angeles a 109-107 edge with 3:29 to play. J.J. Redick tied it with a 3-pointer and Jordan followed with a go-ahead layup.
A jumper from Brandon Jennings moved the Knicks lead to 100-92 with 8:25 to play. After a Clippers basket, Justin Holliday drained a 3 to make it 103-94 at the 7:29 mark.
Rose delivered 10 points in the third and Anthony's floating 3-pointer, which he was fouled making it a four-point play with .6 seconds left, gave the Knicks a 95-88 lead.
The Knicks matched their most points in the first half, but trailed 68-67. They shot 56 percent, with Anthony and Porzingis each going 6 of 12.
Los Angeles was also sharp in the first half, connecting on 54 percent of its shots.
Griffin poured in 18 of the Clippers' 36 first-quarter points, going 6 of 11.
NOTES: Former Knick Charles Oakley had to be restrained by Madison Square Garden security in the first quarter after an altercation. The Knicks PR department tweeted that Oakley was ejected and arrested by the New York City Police Department. Oakley was seated directly behind Knicks owner James Dolan. ... Knicks C Joakim Noah missed his second consecutive game due to a sore left hamstring. ... Clippers C DeAndre Jordan began the day third in the league in rebounds per game, first in field-goal percentage and eighth in blocks per game. ... Clippers G Jamal Crawford became just the sixth player to amass 2,000 3-pointers when he hit two treys on Monday against the Toronto Raptors. Crawford also passed Eddie Johnson for No. 2 all-time in bench scoring and Magic Johnson for No. 74 in all-time scoring.