Lakers-Clippers Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Jan 14 2012 2:45AM

Chris Paul was expected to join Kobe Bryant and bolster the Los Angeles Lakers' chances at winning a third NBA title in four years.

Instead, he's found himself driving the revival of their more unheralded co-tenants.

Fresh off a signature win, Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers look to keep rolling when they open their regular-season series with Bryant and the Lakers on Saturday night.

Once the lockout was settled, Paul expressed his desire to be traded from league-owned New Orleans instead of playing out the final season of his contract. It seemed the Hornets found a suitor in the Lakers (9-4), but a three-team trade that also involved Houston was nixed by commissioner David Stern due to "basketball reasons."

A week later, the superstar point guard was traded to the Clippers (5-3) for three players and Minnesota's 2012 first-round pick.

Joining a team that also includes Blake Griffin, Paul's acquisition has made the Clippers a Western Conference contender, an expectation they're backing up on the court.

Paul is averaging 16.1 points while ranking among the NBA leaders with 8.8 assists and 2.8 steals, and the Clippers are gaining steam by winning four of five while holding opponents under 90 points in each victory.

He turned in his best performance in a Clippers uniform Wednesday, scoring a season-high 27 points while dishing out 11 assists in a 95-89 overtime victory against Miami. That win was aided by more strong defensive play, as the Clippers held the Heat to season lows in scoring and shooting percentage (39.5).

"It's good to get a win and get it by grinding it out," said Griffin, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Paul could make a major impact when he faces the Lakers for his first time as a Clipper in a game that counts. He's averaged 20.3 points and 11.8 assists in 20 career regular-season meetings against them.

While Paul has the Clippers feeling good about ending their five-season playoff drought, Bryant is on a tear as he leads the league with an average of 31.2 points.

The two-time scoring champ is certainly excited for the first meeting in what - at least based on the Clippers' two tense preseason victories - seems destined to become a heated rivalry.

"It's a good test. I'm looking forward to it," Bryant said. "It's going to be a good challenge. We're going to be pumped up and excited. There's going to be a lot of energy."

The 13-time All-Star is averaging 39.0 points during the Lakers' five-game winning streak, scoring at least 40 points in each of the last three contests despite dealing with torn ligaments in his right wrist.

The injury didn't seem to bother him Friday, as Bryant made 15 of 31 shots for 42 points in a 97-92 win over Cleveland.

"The wrist is feeling stronger, feeling more comfortable," Bryant said. "It's just motivation. Nobody wants to hear about a bad wrist as being the reason why I had a bad game. Nobody wants to hear excuses."

Bryant hasn't needed excuses when facing the Clippers, averaging 29.7 points over the last seven matchups with the Lakers winning five. He scored 37 points in the most recent meeting, a 112-104 win March 25.

Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are providing some scoring help for Bryant, averaging 16.9 and 16.6 points, respectively. Both had double-doubles against the Cavaliers, and coach Mike Brown wants to see more of the same.

"We have to make sure we keep executing offensively so we don't need to rely on (Bryant) so much," Brown said. "It's good to have a guy like Kobe Bryant in your pocket."

The Clippers may feel the same way about Griffin, the team leader with 23.3 points per game and 10.8 rebounds. The reigning rookie of the year has been held below 20 points just once this season, and scored 22 in each of the last two meetings with the Lakers.

Clippers beat Lakers 102-94 behind 33 by Paul

By BETH HARRIS
Posted Jan 15 2012 2:30AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers showed they could beat the Lakers even with Kobe Bryant going over the 40-point mark for the fourth consecutive game.

Chris Paul scored 33 points, Blake Griffin had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and the Clippers led all the way in winning 102-94 on Saturday night, their second victory in four days over one of the NBA's elite teams.

"It's early. We're not going to get too high with these wins," Paul said. "We definitely made strides in the right direction defensively and with rebounding. We got to make that habit and not a one-time thing."

Chauncey Billups added 19 points, former Laker Caron Butler had 13 points and DeAndre Jordan had 10 rebounds for the Clippers, who beat Miami 95-89 in overtime on Wednesday and have won five of their last six.

Paul limped off after hitting a jumper in the final minutes and said after the game that he hurt his left leg and would see a doctor.

Griffin said he wasn't concerned with the doubters who wonder if the Clippers may finally shed their reputation as perennial losers.

"It's definitely going to take time if we're going to remove that label," he said. "We don't care. We're worried about this year."

Paul, Billups and Butler - all added before the season began - are paying early dividends. Paul, who had 27 points against the Heat, was originally headed to the Lakers from New Orleans until Commissioner David Stern nixed the deal.

"They couldn't guard him," Billups said of Paul. "Coming off the pick-and-rolls, he was unstoppable. His shot was on point and he really caused them a lot of problems."

The Clippers controlled the boards 50-42, including a 17-11 edge on the offensive glass, despite being the league's worst rebounding team playing against the league's best.

"We talked about how they focused on the glass and they just did a terrific job on the boards," Bryant said. "Seventeen offensive rebounds is a lot of offensive rebounds. That's the area that really killed us. We did a pretty good job defensively in holding them to a low shooting percentage, but 17 offensive rebounds and 25 second-chance points, that's tough to deal with."

Bryant notched his fourth straight game of 40 or more points but the Lakers had their five-game winning streak snapped by their Staples Center co-tenants, who beat them twice in the preseason. Bryant was 14 of 28 and made 12 of 14 free throws. He had 42 against Cleveland on Friday, 48 against Phoenix on Tuesday and 40 at Utah on Thursday.

"When a player of that caliber is looking to shoot that many times, he's going to make shots," Griffin said.

The Lakers got no closer than five points early in the fourth quarter as the visiting team. Bryant broke out for 21 points in the third, but he was limited to 10 in the fourth against the Clippers' double teams.

"Kobe got going and we came with some different coverages on him," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "He hit some tough shots, but I thought overall we controlled the tempo of the game in the fourth quarter, which was one of the big keys for us."

Derek Fisher had no luck in containing Paul and the 37-year-old Lakers guard didn't return until there were 4 minutes left in the game.

"We didn't do a good job as a team on him," Bryant said. "We were short in our pick-and-roll coverage and let Chris kind of split us, mess around with the ball, dribble through the lane and do all the stuff that we're not supposed to let him do."

Billups and Paul hit consecutive 3-pointers to help the Clippers extend their lead to 67-53 midway through the third.

Bryant took over from there, scoring 17 of the Lakers' final 19 points of the quarter to close to 76-72. He began and ended the spurt with 3-pointers and in between hit 7 of 8 free throws while the Clippers were held to nine points over the final 5 minutes.

"I was just getting in spots to be effective and I was hitting my mid-range jumpers," Bryant said. "We were struggling and it just seemed like we were kind of dead in the water. I didn't get us off to a good start at all. I took the responsibility to try and generate some energy and try to get us back in the game. We were able to do that, but they made two big 3s to stretch it back out."

The Clippers' biggest first-half lead was 55-42 at the break. They outshot and outrebounded the Lakers, who were better in the paint.

The Lakers twice closed within three points in the second quarter, but the Clippers outscored them 16-6 to end the period, with Billups, Paul and Griffin combining for 14 points.

The Clippers opened the game on a 13-4 run, then outscored the Lakers 13-9 to lead after the first quarter. Things got chippy in the final 12 seconds when Darius Morris went up for a basket after Paul was whistled for a foul and Griffin pushed off him with both hands as Morris came down.

"We knew it was going to be a grind and get chippy," Jordan said.

Lakers coach Mike Brown got incensed and was called for a technical, while nothing was called on Griffin. Morris had the last word, though, when he sank a jumper from before the half-court line at the buzzer as Paul tried to cut him off. Metta World Peace and Grififin also had technical in the game.

Notes: Clippers F Brian Cook left midway through the second quarter with a sprained left ankle. ... The Clippers improved to 5-1 at home and 6-0 this season when taking a lead into the fourth. ... The Clippers have sold out all six of their home games. ... The Lakers were playing their fifth game of the week and their 14th of the season, tying Chicago for most games played. ... The Clippers have played just nine games, fewest in the league. ... Clippers backup G Mo Williams missed the game because of an injured right foot that he hurt on Tuesday at Portland. ... Lakers G Jason Kapono is adjusting to sleepless nights after his wife gave birth to premature twin girls named Campbell and Isla earlier in the week. "Thirty minutes is like three hours. It's all been a blur," he said.

Notebook: Clippers 102, Lakers 94

By Dan Arritt, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday January 15, 2012 2:06AM

THE FACTS: Round One of the new-look Los Angeles rivalry went the way of the Clippers, as the city's newest star, point guard Chris Paul, scored a season-high 33 points before leaving late in the game with a strained left hamstring. The Clippers led from start to finish in the 102-94 victory at Staples Center.

QUOTABLE: "I should be alright. I'll let the doctors evaluate me ... I'm going to try and be ready for Monday [for the visiting Nets]."
-- Chris Paul on his injury.

THE STAT: Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 42 points, the fourth consecutive game he has totaled 40 or more. He seemed a longshot to get to that mark after scoring just 11 in the first half, but he exploded for 21 in the third quarter as the Lakers trimmed a 14-point deficit to four. Bryant scored at least 40 points in five straight games in March 2007 ... On the Clippers side, they out-rebounded the best rebounding team in the league, 57-48, only the second time this season they've out-rebounded an opponent ... The Clippers were much better on second-chance points as well, owning a 25-12 advantage.

TURNING POINT: The Lakers got as close as two points late in the third quarter, but Paul scored on a goaltending violation in the closing seconds and Randy Foye opened the fourth with a 3-point basket to stretch the lead to six. The Lakers couldn't get back within two possessions the rest of the way.

HOT: In addition to Paul and Bryant, Clippers forward Blake Griffin was his usual dynamic self, finishing with 22 points and 14 rebounds. He locked in his fourth consecutive double-double with 15 seconds remaining in the first half.

NOT: The Lakers were called for six technical fouls, three on players, two for defensive three-second violations and one on coach Mike Brown. The Clippers converted four free throws as a result of the technical fouls.

GOOD MOVE: After getting lit up by Paul on a drive to the basket late in the first quarter, Lakers rookie point guard Darius Morris made a half-court shot at the buzzer to end the opening quarter.

BAD MOVE: Following a 12-foot pull-up jumper that gave the Clippers a 95-82 lead with 4:01 left, Paul grabbed his left hamstring and immediately exited the game. He was replaced by Foye. The Clippers were already without back-up point guard Mo Williams, who sat out with a sore foot.

NOTABLE: In addition to Paul, Clippers reserve forward Brian Cook didn't finish the game after suffering a sprained ankle midway through second quarter.

UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Monday vs. Dallas, Thursday @ Miami, Friday @ Orlando. For the Clippers, Monday vs. New Jersey, Tuesday @ Utah, Wednesday vs. Dallas.

• Lakers: Blake, Caracter
• Clippers: Bledsoe

• Lakers: Barnes, Brown, Morris, World Peace
• Clippers: Griffin

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #57 Greg Willard, #47 Bennie Adams, #28 Tommy Nunez Jr.
• Attendance: 19895
• Duration: 2:30