Heat-Clippers Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Jan 11 2012 2:53AM

The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers aren't heading into their much-anticipated matchup quite like they had hoped.

With each team seeking to bounce back from a tough road loss, Miami visits Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

The Heat (8-2) let a 17-point lead slip away down the stretch before falling 111-106 in overtime at Golden State on Tuesday, ending their three-game winning streak with their first loss in six road games this season.

Dwyane Wade didn't seem to feel any ill effects from the bruised left foot that had kept him out of the previous three games, scoring a season-high 34 points.

"I did feel like I had a layoff but it was good to get back on the court," Wade said. "I just tried to be aggressive early. That's the only way you're going to know how you're feeling. Just came out with an aggressive mindset."

LeBron James, who missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in overtime, scored 26 points while adding 11 assists and seven rebounds.

James did not have a field goal attempt and scored only one point in the fourth quarter, and Wade missed a jumper that would have won it near the end of regulation.

"We got a couple good looks and they just didn't go through," James said.

The Clippers didn't fare much better Tuesday, seeing their own three-game run snapped with a 105-97 loss at Portland.

Chris Paul had only 11 points and three assists while battling foul trouble, and Blake Griffin had 18 points and 12 rebounds but only four points in the second half. The Clippers rallied from an 11-point deficit to pull within three in the final minute, but it wasn't enough.

"It started with me," Paul said. "I came out and wasn't aggressive enough and got some unfortunate calls that didn't go our way, got in foul trouble. "But in the end we still had a chance, but we came up short."

Caron Butler, who spent his first two seasons with the Heat from 2002-04, scored 20 points for the second straight game, and Chauncey Billups added 19 in the defeat.

Los Angeles (4-3) will be complete its first back-to-back set of the season against a Miami club almost certain to contend for the NBA title. If history plays a role, though, the Clippers may hold the advantage.

They've won three straight and eight of the last 10 meetings at Staples Center. Griffin had 24 points and 14 rebounds in Los Angeles' 111-105 home victory over the Heat last Jan. 12, helping the Clippers overcome 31 points from Wade, 27 from James and 26 from Chris Bosh.

However, the teams have split their last six games overall, with Wade scoring a game-high 28 points in a 97-79 home victory for Miami on Feb. 6.

Wade is averaging 29.0 points in his last 11 games versus the Clippers, while Paul has averaged 17.0 points and 10.7 assists in 11 career games against the Heat.

Clippers withstand Heat 95-89 in overtime

By BETH HARRIS
Posted Jan 12 2012 3:02AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Clippers delivered their biggest win of the young season for their long suffering fans, and promptly wanted to forget about it.

Chris Paul had 27 points and 11 assists as Clippers rallied to beat Miami 95-89 in overtime Wednesday night, dealing the Heat a second straight extra-time loss.

"It's just another win, we can't hang our hat on that," said Blake Griffin, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds. "It's about winning these games and winning the so-called smaller games because that's what puts your franchise in a winning position."

Caron Butler added 20 points, and Chauncey Billups had 12 for the Clippers, 9-2 against Miami at home since 2001-02. DeAndre Jordan had 11 rebounds.

Both teams were coming off road losses the previous night, when the Heat lost at Golden State in OT.

"The level was definitely raised a little bit," Griffin said. "We were tired, but the intensity was as high as it should be. It's good to get a win and get it by grinding it out."

LeBron James had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the 200th double-double of his career, Mario Chalmers added 18 points, Dwyane Wade 17 and Chris Bosh had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, who have lost their last four games against the Clippers at Staples Center.

"We defended and gave ourselves a chance to win, and that's all you can ask for," James said. "So we can be satisfied. I mean, you don't like to lose, but we're not going to hang our heads about this one."

The Clippers outscored the Heat 9-3 in the extra session, when James, Bosh and Wade missed on a combined seven shots and the team was 1 for 10. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra got ejected after a technical foul with 5 seconds left.

Miami's Big Three struggled in the fourth quarter, too, combining to go 3 for 8 as the team went 4 of 12.

"A lot of times we were able to get LeBron to the rim and that's what we wanted," Wade said. "It's not always going to go in, but we can leave here with our heads up high, knowing that we stuck to our game plan. We just didn't get the win."

The Clippers' shooting nearly let them down in the final 4 minutes of regulation, when they missed shot after shot but got bailed out by Miami's own problems.

The Clippers led by two with 27 seconds left in regulation before James tied it 86 on a free throw. The Clippers called their final timeout and Paul dribbled around with James hounding him before putting up a shot that missed as time expired, forcing the Heat to the third overtime of their trip.

James missed three consecutive baskets in overtime and he was 6 of 10 from the line in the final 5:49 of regulation. Chalmers hit a 3-pointer for Miami's only points in the extra session.

Jordan scored four points and Butler had three in OT.

With the Clippers trailing 84-83, Billups got fouled by James on a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left in regulation and made all three free throws. The Clippers finished 17 of 23 from the line, while the Heat were 20 of 34.

"We missed 14 free throws and eight of them came from me," James said. "I've been shooting the ball particularly well from the free throw line, but tonight I didn't make enough. So I put our free throw shooting on me. It's kind of a rhythm when it trickles down to everybody else, so I've got to concentrate a little more and knock them down when I get fouled."

Wade added, "We haven't missed this many free throws on this team, probably ever."

The Heat won two video reviews in the final 16 seconds of regulation, but they failed to make a field goal in the final 7:32.

Neither team led by more than three points in a physical fourth quarter that featured Wade knocking Paul to the court and Norris Cole and Mo Williams colliding.

"There's a lot of guys out there that, if you look at them, they like to lift a lot of weights, so it is going to be physical," James said. "These are two teams that have high hopes, so when that kind of clash happens, it's going to be physical."

The Clippers ended the third quarter with a 12-9 spurt, capped by Paul whipping a pass across the lane to Jordan for a baseline dunk that sent them into the final 12 minutes leading 70-69. Paul and Butler combined for 10 of the Clippers' 12 points in the run.

Notes: The Clippers went 1-1 in their first back-to-back of the shortened season. ... The Heat are 5-3 in four back-to-back sets. ... Paul evened his career rivalry with good friend James at six wins apiece. "We hate to lose to each other," Paul said. ... The game drew a standing room only crowd of 19,341. The Clippers have sold out all five of their home games and 17 straight dating to last season. ... Celebs attending included Rihanna, Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Sinbad, Gabrielle Union, and former Los Angeles Angels teammates Jered Weaver and John Lackey. Union is Wade's girlfriend.

Notebook: Clippers 95, Heat 89

By Dan Arritt, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday January 12, 2012 2:54AM

THE FACTS: Missed free throws and apparent missed calls were enough to doom the Heat in overtime for the second consecutive night. The Clippers, meanwhile, celebrated a season-high 27 points from Chris Paul and 20 each from Blake Griffin and Caron Butler as they beat the Heat in L.A. for the second consecutive season, 95-89, in front of a sold-out crowd at Staples Center.

QUOTABLE: "It's just another win. We can't hang our hat on that. It's about winning these games and winning the so-called smaller games because that's what puts your franchise in a winning position."
--Clippers forward Blake Griffin.

THE STAT: The Heat shot 20-for-34 from the free-throw line, including 9-for-16 over the final seven minutes of regulation. LeBron James was the biggest culprit, shooting 9-for-17 from the stripe with four misses down the stretch that would have either tied the score or given the Heat the lead. His final miss with 5.1 seconds remaining allowed the game to stretch to overtime.

TURNING POINT: Butler, who scored 18 points after halftime, sank a jumper on the first possession of overtime and the Clippers held the lead the rest of the way, closing the game on a 9-3 run.

HOT: Miami coach Erik Spoelstra, apparently unhappy over a non-goaltending call on a blocked shot by Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan with 48 seconds remaining in overtime and the Clippers leading by three, was ejected shortly afterward and he didn't go peacefully, storming the middle of the court to get in the face of the referees.

NOT: In addition to the missed free throws, the Heat didn't shoot the basketball anywhere particularly well down the stretch. After James made a four-foot runner with 7:31 remaining in regulation, they didn't convert another field goal until overtime, when they shot 1-for-10. James, who finished with a team-high 23 points, also did not score a point from the final 40 seconds of the first quarter until 4:31 remained in the third.

QUOTABLE II: "I put a lot of the free throws on me. It's kind of a rhythm. I need to concentrate a little more at the free-throw line and knock them down and we'll be fine."
-- Heat forward LeBron James.

GOOD MOVE: Paul made a heads-up play in the final minute of the third quarter, letting the ball roll untouched past the mid-court line while saving time for a possible 2-for-1 situation. Paul then picked up the basketball with about 33 seconds on the clock, drove into the lane and dished to Jordan for a tomahawk dunk and a 70-69 lead, which help up until the end of the quarter. They were the first points of the night for Jordan, who finished with eight points, 11 rebounds and six blocked shots.

BAD MOVE: Despite another double-double, Griffin didn't have his best performance on the big stage. He scored just four points after halftime and continually settled for outside shots, especially early in the third quarter, when he missed his first three.

NOTABLE: When the Clippers beat the Heat last season, they scored 44 points in the opening quarter. They had 43 at the half Wednesday night ... Through the first 21 minutes, only Griffin, Paul and Mo Williams had scored for the Clippers.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Saturday vs. L.A. Lakers, Monday vs. New Jersey, Tuesday @ Utah. For the Heat, Friday @ Denver, Tuesday vs. San Antonio, Jan. 19 vs. L.A. Lakers.

• Heat: Curry, Miller
• Clippers: Bledsoe

• Heat: Spoelstra
• Clippers: --

• Lead Changes: 20
• Times Tied: 8

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #75 Eric Dalen, #63 Derek Richardson
• Attendance: 19341
• Duration: 3:00