Clippers-Pistons Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Dec 16 2012 9:34PM

An all-around effort has the Los Angeles Clippers on the brink of a historic winning streak.

That doesn't appear likely to end on Monday when they visit the Detroit Pistons, who will try to avoid their fifth straight loss.

Los Angeles (17-6) continued to play well at both ends Saturday night in a 111-85 win at Milwaukee that gave the team its ninth consecutive victory.

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," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We're finding different ways to win."

Del Negro's club posted its third-highest field-goal percentage of the season (53.7) against Milwaukee after shooting 45.1 percent from the floor over its previous three contests.

While the Clippers were averaging 99.5 points before their winning streak, they've been even more productive with 106.4 during the recent surge.

The Pacific Division leaders have received key contributions throughout the rotation. Reserve Matt Barnes, who scored 21 on Saturday, has averaged 18.0 points over his last three games.

Los Angeles' bench is the league's second-highest scoring (42.1 points per game).

"We are definitely super-talented and our bench helps us win a lot of games," said center DeAndre Jordan, who had 15 points and 11 boards against the Bucks. "If we can stay healthy and continue to do what we are doing, we'll be OK."

Blake Griffin kept the team rolling with 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Bucks, giving him an average of 20.3 and 9.1 during the winning streak.

Griffin has averaged 19.7 points and 15.3 boards versus Detroit in three career meetings.

Behind him, the Clippers rank second in the league in the paint (48.0 points per game) after scoring 66 on Saturday.

They have a chance to continue their dominance against the Pistons, who sit near the bottom of the league in points allowed in the paint (43.5 per game).

Playing a third game in four nights, Detroit (7-19) looks for only its third win in December after losing 88-77 to Indiana on Saturday night.

"We can't use fatigue as an excuse because every team does the same thing," reserve center Andre Drummond said after finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Greg Monroe was one of the bright spots with 18 points and eight rebounds for the Pistons, who dropped their fourth straight at home.

Monroe, the team's scoring leader at 15.2 points per game, had 23 and 15 rebounds in Detroit's only meeting against the Clippers in 2011-12, but that effort wasn't enough as Los Angeles rallied to win 87-83 in overtime behind Chris Paul's 19 points and 15 assists.

Guards Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Knight combined for 13 points on 4 of 22 shooting in that loss, but they're playing well of late. Stuckey has scored 17.3 points per game in his last seven, while Knight has averaged 21.5 in his past six.

The Pistons, however, shot just 38.6 percent from the field against the Pacers and have made 40.1 percent during their four-game losing streak. Those struggles could continue against a Los Angeles team that has limited its opponents to 39.5 percent from the field in the last four games.

The Clippers have won four of their last five against Detroit.

Crawford leads Clippers to 10th straight win

Posted Dec 18 2012 12:05AM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers are learning to adapt.

Playing their fourth road game in seven nights, they could have easily been overrun by the often overlooked Detroit Pistons.

Not this club.

Jamal Crawford scored 15 points and Chris Paul added 14 to lead the weary Clippers to their 10th straight win, 88-76 over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

"We didn't shoot very well, and we didn't do a lot of things we wanted to do," said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. "We just had a lot of guys make plays down the stretch and we get to go home with another win. Early in the season, we probably lose that game, but now we've gotten to the point where we can win ugly."

No Clippers player scored more than 15 points, but they had five players score in double figures.

"This was a tough one, because we've been playing every other night and we're ready to go home," said Detroit native Willie Green. "This was a great test for us, and we passed it."

Blake Griffin also had 15 points for Los Angeles and Paul had seven assists. Griffin had two breakaway dunks in the last 30 seconds, one on a pass banked off the backboard by Matt Barnes.

"When I saw that it was just the two of us, I told him to keep coming," Barnes joked. "I figured a lot more people wanted to see Blake dunk than wanted to see me lay one in."

Brandon Knight led the Pistons with 16 and Tayshaun Prince added 15. Detroit, which committed 17 turnovers, lost its fifth straight.

"We did enough defensive things to win the game, but when you are going against a team that strips and steals the ball and is very aggressive, everything has to be sharp," said Pistons coach Lawrence Frank. "We have to be more precise, and in the last six minutes, you know it is going to be harder against a team like that, but we have to be able to do it."

Both teams struggled in the first half, with the Clippers taking a 42-40 lead into the intermission despite shooting just 39 percent. Detroit hit 42.5 percent of its shots, but managed only one free throw and two offensive rebounds. The Clippers tried for the last shot of the half, but Prince stole the ball and two quick passes gave Greg Monroe a wide-open layup at the buzzer.

Los Angeles got things in gear in the third quarter, quickly taking a 12-point advantage, but Griffin went to the bench with four fouls and Detroit was able to work its way back into the game.

The Pistons were within 63-60 at quarter's end behind 13 points from Prince, but couldn't keep up the pressure.

"We played a good first half, but once we turned it over a couple times in the third, we let them get out and do their thing," Prince said. "We didn't execute in the second half, and that's when you need it the most."

Detroit committed three turnovers in a period of four possessions and Jason Maxiell missed a pair of free throws on the fourth, allowing Los Angeles to take an 11-point advantage with 6:45 to play. Brandon Knight also missed a technical-foul free throw in the stretch.

"We weren't hitting a lot of shots, but we trusted our defense to make plays," Barnes said. "That was the way we finally won the game."

The Pistons kept up the pressure, pulling down four offensive rebounds on one possession in the last 90 seconds, but couldn't hit enough shots to make a serious rally.

"They turned on that playoff mentality, stepped up their defense and kind of shut us down," said rookie Andre Drummond. "The fourth quarter has been an issue all year. We aren't closing games out."

NOTES: Former Pistons All-Stars Chauncey Billups (foot) and Grant Hill (knee) were both inactive for the Clippers, while Rodney Stuckey (back spasms) missed the game for Detroit. Billups, the MVP of Detroit's championship win in 2004, received a loud "Chaun-Cey!" chant from the crowd during a fourth-quarter timeout. ... Several members of the University of Michigan football team attended the game, including team captains Denard Robinson and Jordan Kovacs. Robinson, who hasn't thrown a pass since late October due to an elbow injury, tossed a Nerf football to the Pistons mascot during a timeout.

Notebook: Clippers 88, Pistons 76

Dana Gauruder, for NBA.com
Posted Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:55 PM - Updated Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:55 PM

THE FACTS: Jamal Crawford and Blake Griffin led a balanced attack with 15 points apiece as the Los Angeles Clippers stretched their winning streak to 10 games with an 88-76 victory over the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills Monday night. Chris Paul had 14 points and seven assists for the Clippers, whose streak is the longest since the franchise moved to Los Angeles. The Clippers can match the Buffalo Braves' franchise-record 11-game winning streak with a home victory over New Orleans Wednesday. Brandon Knight had 16 points and Tayshaun Prince added 15 for the Pistons, who have lost five straight and seven of their last eight.

QUOTABLE: "It's hard to do but we're steadily making progress at both ends of the court. With half the team being new, it took us awhile to trust each other and know each other's games. We're coming along as far as that goes and I really think the sky's the limit for us as long as we continue to build good habits."
-- Clippers forward Matt Barnes on the winning streak.

THE STAT: 8. The Clippers had been holding teams to 91.1 points on 42 percent shooting during the streak and their defense was even sharper Monday. The Pistons shot 40.8 percent, in part because Los Angeles did such a good job of blocking out. They were limited to eight offensive rebounds and eight second-chance points. Detroit's point total tied a season low by a Clippers opponent.

TURNING POINT: Los Angeles went on a 12-2 run early in the third to go ahead 58-46 and never relinquished the lead. Caron Butler scored five of his 11 points during the run, including a 3-pointer. Paul, the league leader in steals, stripped Pistons center Greg Monroe and made a layup. Willie Green's 3-pointer and Butler's layup completed the outburst.

QUOTABLE II: "They slowed the tempo down a little bit. They know we like to get out and run. It was just a game where we had to gut it out and grind it. In order to be a good team, you've got to win games like this."
-- Green on the low-scoring affair.

HOT: Barnes, a defensive specialist throughout his career, delivered his fourth consecutive double-digit performance. He had 10 points to go along with four rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. Barnes made two 3-pointers in the second quarter when his club needed a spark.

NOT: Knight's point total belied his struggles. Paul and Eric Bledsoe held him 5-for-16 from the field and he also made five turnovers.

ROOKIE WATCH: Pistons guard Kyle Singler had 11 points after averaging 6.1 points in his previous seven games. Center Andre Drummond had seven points but went 2-for-8 from the field. He added three blocks.

NOTABLE: The Clippers have defeated the Pistons in their last three meetings at The Palace after Detroit won 23 of 25 home games against them. ... Paul's assist total was the first time in nine games against the Pistons that he failed to reach double figures in that category. ... Pistons super-sub Rodney Stuckey, the team's fourth-leading scorer at 11.7 points per game, missed the game with back spasms. ... Detroit has played the most games in the league. ... The Pistons ranked last in the league entering the game with an average attendance of 12,488. They drew 13,560 Monday.. ... Michigan star quarterback Denard Robinson attended the game.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Wednesday vs. New Orleans, Friday vs. Sacramento, Sunday @ Phoenix. For the Pistons, Wednesday @ Toronto, Friday vs. Washington, Saturday @ Washington.

• Clippers: Billups, Hill, Thompkins
• Pistons: English, Middleton

• Clippers: Barnes
• Pistons: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
• Officials: #9 Derrick Stafford, #34 Kevin Cutler, #36 David Jones
• Attendance: 13560
• Duration: 2:13