Clippers-Bucks Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Dec 15 2012 12:20AM

The Los Angeles Clippers are on the verge of their longest winning streak since setting a team record 38 years ago.

Still, Chris Paul claims they're not satisfied.

Paul and the Pacific Division-leading Clippers go for their ninth straight win Saturday night when they visit the surging Milwaukee Bucks.

Los Angeles (16-6) is averaging 105.9 points during its eight-game run, the team's longest since the 1991-92 season.

A victory at Milwaukee (12-9) would give the Clippers their longest streak since setting a franchise record with 11 consecutive wins from Nov. 3-23, 1974, when they were the Buffalo Braves.

"It's cool," Paul said. "It just means we're playing all right now. But we're not satisfied. We have to keep playing the right way and keep this thing going. Sometimes you're going to win and play bad and sometimes you're going to play well and lose. For us it's all about being consistent."

Paul helped keep Los Angeles rolling Wednesday, matching Blake Griffin and Matt Barnes' 19 points while adding 10 assists and five rebounds in a 100-94 victory at Charlotte.

"I think it's a good sign for us that we're finding ways to win," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Everyone is contributing, locking really hard when we need to and making sure we're consistent on some things. We just got to get a little sharper."

Del Negro may be concerned with the Clippers' 45.1 percent shooting from the floor over the past three games after they hit 50.8 percent in the previous four.

But his team has continued to win despite Jamal Crawford's struggles. The reserve guard - second on the team with 17.1 points per game - is averaging 11.7 on 30.3 percent (10 for 33) from the field in the past three contests.

He made just 2 of 12 shots to finish with a season-low nine points Wednesday, but his eight assists were his most this season.

"He had eight assists and a lot of teams are gearing up on him to try and slow him down," Del Negro told the team's official website. "So, he's good off the dribble and he only had one turnover; 8-to-1 we'll take that every time.

"If they're going to load up on him we've got to make them pay."

Griffin is doing his part with a 20.6 scoring average and 8.9 boards during the winning streak. The star forward is totaling 24.3 points and 12.3 rebounds in three meetings with the Bucks, including 22 and 14, respectively, in a 92-86 win Jan. 7 - the only matchup last season.

Milwaukee is also playing very well, beating Cleveland 90-86 on Friday for its season-high fourth straight win. Monta Ellis scored a season-high 33 points and is averaging 24.7 on 50.0 percent shooting, 6.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds in his last three games.

Ellis averaged 22.7 points and 7.7 assists in three meetings against the Clippers with Golden State last season.

Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings scored 20 points in a 102-78 win in the most recent meeting at the Bradley Center on Feb. 14, 2011.

It's unclear if Milwaukee will have Beno Udrih (sprained right ankle), Tobias Harris (lacerated right elbow) or Mike Dunleavy (bruised left knee) back after all three sat out Friday's win.

Clippers cruise past Bucks for 9th straight win

Posted Dec 16 2012 1:03AM

MILWAUKEE (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers have a solid starting five and a deep bench. On Saturday night, it was Matt Barnes' turn to lead the way to another victory.

Barnes scored 21 points, Blake Griffin had 18 points and 11 rebounds and the Clippers routed the cold-shooting Milwaukee Bucks 111-85 for their ninth consecutive victory.

DeAndre Jordan added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles (17-6), which had lost three in a row in Milwaukee. Griffin had three spectacular dunks in a brief stretch in the third quarter.

It's the longest winning streak for the franchise since the Buffalo Braves captured 11 in a row during the 1974-75 season.

"It's not easy to win in this league but I'm pleased," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We're finding different ways to win."

Del Negro, like many of the Clippers' players in the locker room after the game, stressed the importance of not looking too far ahead or being absorbed by thoughts of an extended playoff run.

"We are definitely super talented and our bench helps us win a lot of games," Jordan said. "If we can stay healthy and continue to do what we are doing, we'll be OK."

Barnes was 8 for 10 from the field and 5 for 6 at the free throw line. The reserve also had four assists and two steals.

"Matt keeps moving. He's a runner," Del Negro said. "He does a really good job defensively. He's been very consistent for us in his effort and his energy and he's really helping out that second group a lot."

Barnes acknowledged that many of his points came in transition and not from set plays.

"If you run hard you're going to get rewarded," he said. "A lot of it is just hustle."

The Bucks (12-10), who had won four in a row, shot 36 percent from the field.

"That's a very talented team. If you're going to compete with them, you need a superior effort and we had an inferior effort tonight," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "We were flat-footed the whole night and gave up 66 points in the paint. We got caught ball-watching a couple of times and just generally weren't very competitive."

Many of the Bucks' missed shots led to easy baskets for the Clippers, who had 31 fast-break points.

"We took some bad shots in the paint and they bounced out a ways and then (the Clippers) were off and running," Skiles said. "They're almost unbeatable when that's the case."

Slowing down the Clippers on offense goes beyond focusing on playmaking guard Chris Paul, said Marquis Daniel, who led Milwaukee with 16 points.

"We have to get back in transition," Daniels said. "Their bigs were the ones getting out in transition, getting dunks and layups. That's their game. You have to take that away from them."

Monta Ellis had 13 for the Bucks, but went 4 for 14 from the floor. Brandon Jennings was held to nine points on 3-for-13 shooting.

The Clippers put together a 20-6 surge to build a 28-15 lead after one. Jordan had eight points in the first.

The Bucks scored the first seven points of the second period, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Ersan Ilyasova and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. Milwaukee was down six at 32-26 when the Clippers scored 23 of the final 32 points of the quarter to lead 55-35 at the break.

The Bucks shot just 26.2 percent from the floor in the over the first two quarters, compared with 52.5 percent for the Clippers.

Milwaukee outscored Los Angeles 27-24 in the third but the Clippers still held a 17 point lead at the end of the period.

Both teams played their reserves throughout most of the final quarter.

"Our starters got off to a very good start for us and then our bench came in and extended it," Del Negro said. "We took control of the game in the first half and we weathered the storm in the third quarter."

NOTES: A moment of silence was held in memory of the victims in the elementary school shooting in Connecticut on Friday. ... Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy, still feeling the effects of a bone bruise to a knee, sat out again. Dunleavy has missed six of Milwaukee's last seven games. "He tried a little bit this morning and just didn't feel like it was right yet," Skiles said. Beno Udrih (sprained right ankle) and Tobias Harris (lacerated right elbow) also didn't suit up. ... The shooting struggles for the Bucks rookie G Doron Lamb continued. Over the past three games, Lamb is 3 for 24 from the field. Lamb missed his first six shots from the field on Saturday before converting a layup late in the second quarter.

Notebook: Clippers 111, Bucks 85

Rick Braun, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Dec 16, 2012 3:01 AM - Updated Sun Dec 16, 2012 3:01 AM

THE FACTS: Matt Barnes scored 21 points off the bench, and Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul all posted double-doubles as the Los Angeles Clippers cruised to their ninth straight victory, a 111-85 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night in Milwaukee.

Griffin had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Jordan posted 15 points and 11 rebounds and Paul had 10 points and 13 assists as the Clippers improved to 17-6.

Marquis Daniels had 16 points to lead the Bucks (12-10), who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

QUOTABLE: "I think we're playing with a lot of confidence right now, but the biggest thing is that we're just trying to make sure we play the game the right way. Me and Caron Butler were just talking about it. We understand that at some point we will lose a game, but as long as we play the right way and don't get too upset and start pointing fingers and things like that, we'll be OK."

-- Paul on whether the Clippers have developed a mindset that if they're on their game they won't be beaten

THE STATS: The Clippers hammered the Bucks 31-8 in fast-break points, 33-15 in assists and 66-28 in points in the paint.

TURNING POINT: Bucks center Larry Sanders was unable to convert a lob dunk that could have pulled Milwaukee within 12-11 midway through the first quarter. Paul came to the other end and made a 3-pointer to make it 15-9, and the Clippers never led by less than six from there.

QUOTABLE II: "We really passed the ball well tonight. If we can pass like that to each other throughout the season, we'll be alright. ... Every game is going to be different depending on how guys are playing and personnel and matchups, but there's no reason why Blake and I can't do that every game."

-- Jordan

HOT: Barnes was 8-for-10 for his 21 points and always seemed to be a step ahead of whoever was guarding him.

NOT: Eight of the nine Bucks players who took a shot in the first half shot under 50 percent, with only Ekpe Udoh (1-for-1) making as many or more than he missed. The Bucks shot just 26.2 percent (11-for-42) on their way to a 55-35 deficit.

GOOD MOVE: With the game well in hand one game left in a four-game road trip, Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro had no reason to overtax his starters. Griffin's 27:29 were the most minutes played among the first five.

ROOKIE WATCH: Bucks second-round pick Doron Lamb entered the game having missed his last 13 shots and missed his first five to make it an 0-for-18 skid before banking in a running shot with 27.7 seconds left in the half. Lamb finished with eight points on 3-for-11 shooting.

NOTABLE: Bucks sixth man Mike Dunleavy missed his seventh game in the last eight with a bruised knee, and backup point guard Beno Udrih missed his eighth straight with a sprained ankle. Dunleavy said after the game he hopes to return in the upcoming week. ... The Clippers' nine-game winning streak is the longest in franchise history since the Buffalo Braves won 11 straight early in the 1974-'75 season. ... The Clippers posted 33 assists to just 15 for the Bucks. ... The Bucks host Indiana on Tuesday, the first time in more than a month they'll play consecutive home games.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Monday @ Detroit, Wednesday vs. New Orleans, Friday vs. Sacramento. For the Bucks, Tuesday vs. Indiana, Wednesday @ Memphis, Friday @ Boston.

• Clippers: Billups, Hill, Thompkins
• Bucks: Dunleavy, Udrih

• Clippers: --
• Bucks: Przybilla

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #61 Courtney Kirkland, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 13691
• Duration: 2:08