Heat-Clippers Preview

By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
Posted Nov 14 2012 12:01AM

LeBron James' lowest scoring average is against the Los Angeles Clippers.

James struggled to score in last season's lone meeting against the Clippers heading into Wednesday night's matchup at Staples Center for the Miami Heat.

The three-time league MVP is averaging 23.1 points in 17 lifetime games versus Los Angeles (5-2). He missed 12 of 19 shots for 23 points in last season's 95-89 overtime loss.

James, however, had 13 rebounds and seven assists in that contest. The Clippers know his game is not based solely on scoring.

"You just have to make him work," Los Angeles forward Matt Barnes said. "He's such a talented player, the scoring numbers aren't always how he benefits his team the most. He controls the game through passing, through rebounding, through playing defense as well."

James was off to a slow start by his standards, averaging 21.9 points through his first seven games. He broke out with a season-high 38 - 32 after halftime - in Monday's 113-110 victory at Houston.

"It's the zone you hear about," James said. "Certain players talk about getting into the zone. I wish I could get into it more. But when you're in it, you know how it feels, you know everything you put up and how you're going is pretty good."

Miami (6-2) bounced back from a 104-86 loss at Memphis the night before. James only scored 20 in that contest before he turned in one of the most brilliant displays of the early season.

"I expected him to make every single shot he threw up," Chris Bosh said Monday. "I guess, after 30 points, you think everything is going in."

Bosh continued his strong play this season with 24 points and 10 rebounds. He's averaging 20.9 points - his highest in two-plus seasons since joining the Heat in 2010 after averaging at least 22.3 his last five seasons with Toronto.

"He's Mr. consistent," teammate Dwyane Wade said of Bosh. "He is a guy who does what he has to do and obviously on the offensive end he is multi-talented."

James is good friends with Clippers guard Chris Paul, a teammate at the London Olympics. They have split 12 meetings, with James averaging 25.0 points and 7.6 assists in those games and Paul 17.1 and 9.7, respectively, in those categories.

Paul is second in the league with 10.3 assists per game for a Clippers team that continues to showcase tremendous depth. Reserve guard Jamal Crawford leads the club with his 20.1 average.

Crawford is in a similar role as Heat veteran Ray Allen, who has been limited to 13 points over his last two games.

"This is a tough team you know with their Big 3 and then having Ray Allen coming off the bench," Barnes said. "They are a very talented and deep team. So we just have to stay focused and locked into the game plan and try to create the tempo we want to play at the defensive end."

Los Angeles won its third straight, 89-76 at home over Atlanta on Sunday. Blake Griffin led six Clippers in double figures with 16 points.

The Clippers' 9-2 home record against the Heat since 2001-02 is their second-best against any opponent. Miami, which is 2-1 on its current six-game road swing, has lost four straight on the road in this series.

Clippers beat Heat 107-100 for 4th straight win

By BETH HARRIS
Posted Nov 15 2012 2:32AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) In their toughest test yet of this young NBA season, the Los Angeles Clippers measured themselves against the Miami Heat and liked how they stacked up.

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul had double-doubles, with Paul keying a third-quarter spurt that helped carry the Clippers to a 107-100 victory on Wednesday night. They have wins over Memphis, the Lakers, San Antonio and now the defending NBA champions in their first eight games.

"These wins are good, but we're playing at home and we expect to win," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Griffin had 20 points and 14 rebounds and Paul had 16 points and 10 assists to lead five players in double figures in the Clippers' fourth straight win. Jamal Crawford added 22 points off the bench.

"We can even be better," Griffin said. "We can't rest on a win like that."

Obviously Griffin has been listening to Paul, who cautions an even-keeled approach.

"It's early, very early," Paul said. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. Just keep playing the right way every night."

LeBron James scored 30 points for the defending NBA champions, who lost their fifth in a row against the Clippers in Los Angeles. Ray Allen added 14 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Heat dropped to 2-2 on their current six-game trip.

"Tonight was not a good game for us," Dwyane Wade said. "We have some good moments, but we have to put a full game together on the road. The important thing right now is to figure out how we can get better."

Wade was held to six points - well below his 18.4-point average - playing with a sprained left foot that kept him out of the morning shootaround.

"I had some shots that I normally make that I wasn't able to hit, but I just tried to help as much as I could and do my job as a leader on the floor," he said. "We did a pretty good job until the end of the third before Chris Paul went off and kind of separated the game for us. They're playing with a lot more confidence, and obviously they've got more depth."

The Clippers were clinging to a 72-70 lead in the third when Paul switched from distributor to scorer, running off 13 straight points and extending their lead to 85-74 going into the fourth. The Clippers hit five 3-pointers in building the game's first double-digit lead after neither team led by more than six points in the first half.

"He makes things happen and that's why I've always felt that he's the best point guard in the game," James said.

Wade was called for a technical after tangling with Ryan Hollins and then he missed a jumper over Hollins on Miami's last shot of the third.

The Clippers' roll continued into the fourth, with Eric Bledsoe scoring their first eight points for a 93-76 lead. Griffin and Paul were on the bench, giving the second unit its chance to dominate the offense against Miami's starters. Bledsoe finished with 12 points and Caron Butler had 15.

"That's the first time I've been able to sit on the bench and almost be a fan," Griffin said. "It's fun to watch."

Griffin and Paul returned after Miami cut its deficit to 104-93 with 3:47 remaining. But it was only for insurance as the Heat failed to make a serious run in the closing minutes.

"The road just gets tougher," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "That's a good team. We view them as legit competitors for the title."'

Miami led 54-52 at halftime. James wasted no time asserting himself with a driving dunk 12 seconds into the game. The Clippers answered with eight straight points, the biggest run either team managed in the half.

Both teams put on a riveting display of dunks, 3-point shooting and power moves. The crowd cheered when Bledsoe blocked Wade on his way to the basket and then Norris Cole airballed a 3-pointer after the Heat recovered the ball.

"I turned it over so I just tried to get the ball back," Bledsoe said.

NOTES: Both teams had 19 turnovers. ... Wade hurt his foot in the third quarter of Monday's game at Houston when he stepped on teammate Chris Bosh. Against the Clippers, Wade stumbled out of bounds in the fourth quarter and went down after getting caught on one of the referees. ... Crawford has 164 points off the bench, making him the highest scoring reserve in the league this season. ... The Heat are 13-12 on the road all-time against the Clippers. ... The teams meet once more this season in Miami.

Notebook: Clippers 107, Heat 100

Dan Arritt, For NBA.com
Posted Thu Nov 15, 2012 2:27 AM - Updated Thu Nov 15, 2012 9:19 AM

THE FACTS: Like a medal-winning 400-meter relay team, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul started the run for the Clippers, but then Jamal Crawford and Eric Bledsoe took the baton and finished off the defending NBA champions. Griffin carried L.A. through the first half Wednesday night, Paul dominated the final minutes of the third quarter and Crawford and Bledsoe finished off the Heat in the fourth, leading the Clippers to a 107-100 victory at Staples Center.

QUOTABLE: "It's a nice win for us, but we have to have the mindset of getting better."

--Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro

THE STAT: The Clippers have won five consecutive games against the Heat at home, the last three with LeBron James on the floor. They're 10-2 overall against Miami at Staples Center since 2001-02.

TURNING POINT: After 13 ties and 14 lead changes during the first half, Paul sparked an 11-2 run to finish the third quarter, giving L.A. its biggest lead, 85-74. He scored 13 points in the final 3:21 of the period. Bledsoe subbed for Paul at the start of the fourth and scored all the points in an 8-0 run to push the lead to 93-76. Crawford came back with eight points after that to keep Miami at a distance.

HOT: Crawford came off the bench to lead the Clippers in scoring for the fifth time this season. He scored 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Griffin scored 13 of his 20 points in the first half and collected a season-high 14 rebounds. Paul had 16 points, 10 assists and four steals for his fifth double-double this season. Rashard Lewis continues to have a hot hand from 3-point distance for the Heat. He came into the game 10-for-20 from beyond the arc and sank all three attempts against the Clippers.

NOT: Heat guard Dwyane Wade was questionable coming into the game with a sprained left foot, but gave it a try against L.A. He struggled all night. Wade committed three of his five turnovers in the opening quarter and finished 2-for-10 from the field for a season-low six points. He's 13-for-43 in his last three games (30.2 percent).

GOOD MOVE: Perhaps the worst part of Wade's night was when Bledsoe flew in to block his breakaway slam dunk attempt early in the second quarter. The replay was shown several times on ESPN and about a dozen more on the big screen inside the arena.

BAD MOVE: The Heat have a game Thursday night in Denver, but that didn't keep coach Erik Spoelstra from playing James the entire third quarter and the first 9 ½ minutes of the fourth. Even with the Heat down by 20 points with 5 ½ minutes left in the game, James was still on the floor. To his credit, he helped cut the deficit to 11 with 3:47 remaining, causing the Clippers to reinsert Paul and Griffin. Spoelstra finally waved the white flag and took James out with 2:30 left and the Heat trailing by 14.

QUOTABLE II: "We view them as legit contenders for the title."

-- Spoelstra on the Clippers

NOTABLE: James did not have a rebound in the first half. He finished with 30 points, seven assists and five rebounds. ... Heading into game, Clippers forward Caron Butler had scored 67 of his 74 points this season during the first and third quarters. He had eight of his 15 points in the second quarter against the Heat. ... L.A.'s lowest margin of victory through the first seven games was nine points and that included the only losses handed to the Spurs and Grizzlies this season. ... The Clippers came into the game second in the NBA in bench scoring at 40.9 points a game. The reserves combined for 41 against the Heat.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Saturday vs. Chicago, Monday @ San Antonio Wednesday @ Oklahoma City. For the Heat, Thursday @ Denver, Saturday @ Phoenix, Wednesday vs. Milwaukee.

• Heat: Harrellson, Pittman
• Clippers: Billups, Hill, Thompkins

• Heat: Wade
• Clippers: --

• Lead Changes: 17
• Times Tied: 14

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #47 Bennie Adams, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 19146
• Duration: 2:34