Cavaliers-Clippers Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON
Posted Nov 04 2012 5:42PM

Even last year's addition of Chris Paul couldn't help the Los Angeles Clippers overcome their recent struggles against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Now, maybe Jamal Crawford will be the difference.

Monday night will see a matchup between two of the league's early-season scoring leaders as Crawford and the Clippers host Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers, who have won 10 of the teams' last 11 meetings.

Despite coming off the bench in his first three games with the Clippers - as he has for most of his career - Crawford's 25.7 points per game rank among the league's top 10. Irving, the league's reigning rookie of the year, isn't far behind at 23.7 points per game.

But neither Crawford nor Irving could keep their respective teams from suffering bitter defeats on Saturday.

Crawford scored 20 against Golden State, becoming the first Clipper with 20 or more off the bench in three consecutive games since Mo Williams in January. Paul also scored a season-high 27, setting a franchise record with 19 consecutive free throws made in the contest, but Los Angeles' slow start proved costly in a 114-110 loss to the Warriors.

Cleveland was on the wrong end of a controversial finish after Irving's game-tying bucket with seven-tenths of a second left as Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings then hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to hand the Cavaliers a 105-102 loss. Officials used video replay to confirm Jennings got the shot off in time, but Cleveland coach Byron Scott said he thought the clock started late on the final play.

Despite his team's record dropping to 1-2, Scott was still pleased with the effort. Thirteen of Irving's 27 points came in the fourth quarter, when he led a 7-0 run to tie the score at 102.

"If we play that hard every game we give ourselves a chance to win," Scott told the team's official website. " ... We have to come out with that attitude every night. It doesn't guarantee that we win the game. But at least, it gives us a chance."

The Clippers (2-1) fell behind Golden State by 14 in the first quarter. Paul's only missed free throw blew an opportunity to tie in the final minute.

"We turned it on a little too late, and that's something we've got to learn from," said Blake Griffin, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds for his first double-double.

"Adversity is going to come, and it's important to see how we respond to it."

Griffin has been a monster in his only three games against Cleveland, averaging 29.0 points and 12.0 rebounds, though the Clippers have gone 1-2. Last season, the Cavaliers didn't need Irving, who was out with a concussion when they defeated visiting Los Angeles 99-92 in their only meeting.

Cavaliers beat Clippers 108-101 to end 2-game skid

By BETH HARRIS
Posted Nov 06 2012 2:10AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers were apt to follow up a tough loss with another defeat. Things are slowly changing.

Rookie Dion Waiters hit seven 3-pointers in scoring 28 points and Kyrie Irving added 24 points in a 108-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night that snapped a two-game skid two nights after losing by three to Milwaukee.

Coach Byron Scott called it progress.

"Typically we play one good game and then we stumble," he said. "Tonight seemed like the type of game where we could stumble, which is why I called a timeout so early in the game. I thought we were going through the motions and I wanted to let them know that I will sub guys out early if they're going to play like that. They responded and played a good 45 minutes."

Some of the biggest shots were hit by Waiters, whose points and 3-pointers set career highs in his fourth NBA game.

"My teammate found me," he said, nodding his head in Irving's direction, "and I was able to make shots. I was feeling good out there."

Tyler Zeller added 15 points and Anderson Varejao had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavs, who took the lead for good late in the first quarter.

Blake Griffin scored 20 points, Jamal Crawford added 19 and Chris Paul had 17 for the Clippers, who lost their second straight after opening the season with two wins. Their 25 turnovers led to 21 points for the Cavs.

"You make 25 turnovers and you're going to lose just about every time," said Paul, who was contained most of the game by the Cavs' zone. "But it's early though. It's better we do this now than later, but we'll be all right."

The Cavs led by nine early in the fourth before Griffin, Paul and Crawford teamed up to spark the Clippers. Paul got things going with a 3-pointer and a driving layup, then set up Griffin's dunk with an alley-oop pass before Crawford hit a 3 to tie the game at 94.

Waiters answered with two straight 3-pointers, the second coming in front of the Clippers' bench, then Varejao stole a pass from DeAndre Jordan and hit a jumper at the other end to keep the Cavs ahead 102-96.

"Our defensive principles are not to give up the corner 3, and that's my fault," Paul said. "I take full blame for those two 3s that I gave up there towards the end of the game. Every time they hit one, it was tough."

Crawford hit another 3-pointer to get the Clippers within three they got outscored 6-2 in the final 52 seconds. Griffin was called for two consecutive traveling turnovers in the closing minutes.

"There's not going to be a game where a team's not gunning for us, so we have to have the mindset that everybody's coming for us and we have to be coming for them even harder," Griffin said.

Waiters scored 12 of Cleveland's first 14 points to open the third, when they led by 13 early on only to see the Clippers cut it to six points going into the fourth. The Clippers shot 57 percent from the floor and regained a 16-10 edge in the paint to close within striking distance.

"When you have somebody going like that you just sit back and watch," Irving said about Waiters.

Cleveland's momentum carried into the second quarter when it outscored the Clippers 26-22 to lead 57-50 at the break, with Varejao's driving layup just beating the halftime buzzer. Irving had 16 points in the half to eight by Paul, whose team had 13 turnovers in the first two quarters.

The Cavs missed their first four shots of the game while falling behind by seven. They got going near the end of the first quarter, with consecutive 3-pointers by Daniel Gibson and Irving to take their first lead of the game.

Notes: Zeller left the court with 5:39 to play after taking an elbow to his left cheekbone under his eye. He was being examined after the game and Scott said the team would know more on Tuesday. ... Crawford had led the Clippers in scoring in each of their first three games. ... Paul had nine assists, ending his run of three straight points-assists double-doubles. ... The Clippers have sold out their first three home games, extending their streak of consecutive sellouts to 53. ... The Cavs won the teams' only meeting last season.

Notebook: Cavaliers 108, Clippers 101

Dan Arritt, for NBA.com
Posted Tue Nov 06, 2012 2:37 AM - Updated Tue Nov 06, 2012 2:37 AM

THE FACTS: Better start for the Clippers, same finish. Once again, L.A. faced a less talented squad on its home floor, but for the second straight game couldn't match their opponent's youth and intensity down the stretch. The Cavaliers grabbed 18 offensive rebounds Monday night, forced 25 turnovers and shot 14-for-29 from the 3-point line in the 108-101 victory at Staples Center.

QUOTABLE: "The 3-ball hurt us tonight. It was really the offensive rebounds that were kicked out for a couple 3s, and then we turn it over and chase them in transition."

-- Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro

THE STAT: Cleveland rookie guard Dion Waiters, the fourth overall draft pick out of Syracuse last June, scored 28 points in his fourth NBA game, shooting 7-for-11 from 3-point range. The other rookie for the Cavaliers, center Tyler Zeller, had the best game of his young career, scoring 15 points off the bench and grabbing seven rebounds. He departed with just over five minutes remaining after getting elbowed in the face while trying for an offensive rebound.

TURNING POINT: Unlike Saturday night, when the Clippers fell behind 9-0 to the Warriors before eventually losing by four points, L.A. scored the game's first six points against Cleveland and led by as many as eight early in the first quarter. The Cavaliers climbed back behind 16 first-quarter points from point guard Kyrie Irving, and stretched the advantage to as many as 13 in the third quarter. The Clippers finally mounted a run and tied the score, 94-94, on a 3-point basket by Jamal Crawford with 4:28 left in the game, but Waiters answered with back-to-back 3-pointers and the Cavaliers maintained their lead the rest of the way.

HOT: Cleveland center Anderson Varejao came into the game leading the league in rebounding at 15 a game. He maintained that pace with 15 more rebounds against the Clippers, including five on the offensive end. He also contributed 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting, including two open jump shots in the final three minutes that helped spoil the comeback for L.A.

NOT: Clippers reserve forward Lamar Odom may have finally put himself in Del Negro's doghouse. Odom, who showed up to training camp out of shape after the Clippers acquired him in the offseason, played just over three minutes in the first quarter. He twice turned the ball over in that span, missed a layup and committed two personal fouls. He quickly went back to the bench where he remained the rest of the game.

GOOD MOVE: Cleveland reserve swingman C.J. Miles was on the verge of falling out of the rotation after shooting 4-for-22 to start the season and playing lackluster defense during Saturday night's three-point loss to the Bucks. Cleveland coach Byron Scott gave him another shot and he took advantage, scoring 10 points off the bench on a 4-for-7 shooting. He sank two 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter to help the Cavaliers maintain their lead.

BAD MOVE: Down by three points with 2 1/2 minutes remaining, Clippers forward Blake Griffin turned the ball over on back-to-back possessions. The Clippers were still within one possession when point guard Chris Paul drove into the open lane but passed on the layup and instead tried to hand the ball off to Griffin on the baseline. Griffin stepped out of bounds, however, for his third turnover in three straight trips down the floor. The Cavaliers then secured their 18th offensive rebound and Varejao made a jumper from the free-throw line to push the lead to back to five with 52 seconds remaining.

QUOTABLE II: "Everything has to go perfect down the stretch when you're chasing teams. We might have had a good possession, but they hit a couple tough shots and now you're running out of time."

-- Del Negro

NOTABLE: Cleveland has now won 11 of the last 12 meetings against the Clippers. ... Paul scored 20 points, the first time someone other than Crawford led the team in scoring this season. Crawford finished with 19 points off the bench. ... The Clippers were out-rebounded, 57-40, and are minus-33 on the glass this season.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Wednesday vs. San Antonio, Thursday @ Portland, Sunday vs. Atlanta. For the Cavaliers, Wednesday @ Golden State, Friday @ Phoenix, Sunday @ Oklahoma City.

• Cavaliers: Harangody, Pargo
• Clippers: Billups, Hill, Thompkins

• Cavaliers: --
• Clippers: --

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #15 Bennett Salvatore, #36 David Jones, #72 J.T. Orr
• Attendance: 19060
• Duration: 2:14