Clippers-Jazz Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON
Posted Dec 28 2012 2:44AM

Another game for the Los Angeles Clippers means another opportunity to continue writing history.

The Clippers can extend their franchise-best winning streak to 16 games on Friday night as they head to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz, where they had lost 16 in a row before winning the last two contests, including one earlier this month.

Los Angeles' streak is the league's longest since San Antonio ran off 15 straight into the playoffs last season. Another win would make it the best run since Boston won 19 consecutive games in 2008-09.

The Clippers were just 8-6 after Nov. 26 - the date of their last loss, a 105-98 defeat against New Orleans. They have since become the owners of the NBA's best record (23-6), which was improved with Thursday's 106-77 home win against the Celtics - Boston's worst loss of the season.

"Some people may be impressed by the record, but we can't be," Chris Paul said. "We're not measured by our regular-season wins."

Blake Griffin agreed, saying, "We want to be winning in April, May and June."

Considering the fashion in which the Clippers have been beating teams - badly - the streak might not end for a while. Los Angeles is winning by an average of 16.3 points during its run while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor.

The Clippers are also succeeding with arguably the NBA's best depth. They own the league's best scoring bench at 43.1 points per game.

The reserves didn't let up on Thursday, with Matt Barnes and Jamal Crawford leading the team in scoring with 21 and 17 points, respectively.

DeAndre Jordan also credited the team's chemistry for allowing them to blend players as old as Lamar Odom (33) rather seamlessly in the rotation with some as young as Griffin (23).

"We have a mixture of some young guys, some guys in their prime and some veterans on this team," Jordan said. "We play well together on the court, but we are also close off the court and I think that helps our play. If we continue to stay close and everybody stays healthy we will be alright."

The Jazz (15-15), meanwhile, have stumbled recently, losing five of seven overall and their last two home games after starting 9-1 at EnergySolutions Arena.

Utah matched a season low in points with a 94-83 loss to Golden State on Wednesday and its offense seemed disrupted by the absence of point guard Mo Williams. Williams, averaging 12.9 points and 6.7 assists, missed his second straight game with a sprained right thumb and is out indefinitely.

Jamaal Tinsley has started the last two in his place, averaging 5.5 points and four assists.

"He (Williams) can attack the rim, take a shot, make a shot and we just didn't get that tonight," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "It was a sluggish effort all night."

Utah had beaten the Clippers in 11 of 12 before losing the last three games, including a 105-104 home loss on Dec. 3. Griffin posted 30 points and 11 rebounds while going 14 of 20 from the field.

Clippers beat Jazz 116-114 for 16th straight win

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Dec 29 2012 5:02AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Los Angeles Clippers already have a December to remember.

Sunday they can close it out in perfect fashion against a familiar foe - the same Utah team they rallied to beat 116-114 Friday night to earn their 16th straight win.

If they extend their streak by beating the Jazz at home Sunday, they will join the 1995-96 Spurs and 1971-72 Lakers as the only teams in NBA history to complete a 16-0 month.

If they fight the way they did Friday, it should be easy.

"Give Utah credit, but our guys battled back tonight," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "They found a way to win and that's what it's all about. We stayed together, we weathered the storm when we had to and gave ourselves a chance and we were fortunate to make enough plays."

Afterward, team leader Chris Paul could hardly be heard over the pulsating music of Jay-Z as his teammates sang along in the visitors' locker room.

Why not?

The Clippers had just pulled off a 19-point comeback in what had been a dreadful venue for them.

Paul did most of the damage, leading the Clippers (24-6) with 29 points, including the final seven, as Los Angeles pulled out the two-point victory.

The Clippers winning streak is the longest in the NBA since Boston won 19 in row from Nov. 15 to Dec. 23, 2008.

The last time the franchise won three straight in Salt Lake City was 1979-1981 when they were the San Diego Clippers.

"This one is a great win for us because we kind of needed a challenge," said Blake Griffin, who had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers. "(We had) to prove not only to everybody else but to ourselves that we can still win close games like this and win a game down 19 in the third quarter."

In the opposing locker room, the Jazz were lamenting another one that got away - the second loss at home to the Clippers during their record streak. They dropped the first by one on Dec. 3 after leading by 14.

On Friday, ex-Clipper Randy Foye put up a 3-pointer at the buzzer that was contested by Matt Barnes, but no foul was called. Foye finished with a season-high 28 points for Utah.

Foye did his best not to say anything about the officiating.

"I felt as though I pump-faked," Foye said. "He knew that I wanted to shoot the 3 and I felt the contact. He made me go straight up and shoot the ball straight down. It was just a tough play."

Paul was tough down the stretch, with the clinching free throws after getting fouled by Al Jefferson with 3.4 seconds left.

"When (DeAndre Jordan) came to give me the ball screen, I wasn't worried about (Gordon) Hayward, I was just worried about Al Jefferson," Paul said. "I could tell (Jefferson) was going to try and blitz me. Anytime two guys try and trap me, I'm always going to attack the slower guy. If they wouldn't have called the foul, I was right around Al anyway."

He sank both free throws this time, after missing one with 18 seconds left that allowed Jefferson to grab the rebound, draw the foul and sink two free throws at the other end to tie it at 114.

Paul made sure he got both the next time.

"Man, I couldn't wait to get to the line. I couldn't wait to get to the line," Paul said. "I was mad at myself for missing that last one. I couldn't wait to get to the line to redeem myself."

Just like the first game this season against the Jazz, Utah had the upper hand early.

The Jazz used a 36-point second quarter to turn a seven-point deficit into a 58-48 halftime lead.

Their reserves did most of the damage. Alec Burks and Earl Watson pushed the pace, big men Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors showed their presence inside and Hayward found ways to score.

Kanter's block of Ronny Turiaf ignited the crowd.

Hayward's 3-pointer tied it at 34 with 7:04 left in the second and he scored 10 straight for the Jazz, who forced eight turnovers in the quarter and held the Clippers to 37.5 percent shooting.

Foye, who kept Utah close in the first with a 13-point quarter on 4-of-5 shooting, gave the Jazz their biggest lead of the half, 54-41, with two more free throws.

The Jazz led 74-55 with 8:08 left in the third on a pair of free throws by Paul Millsap. But the Clippers outscored Utah 29-14 the rest of the quarter to go ahead 88-84 going into the fourth.

Paul provided the offense in the third with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting.

"At the beginning of the third quarter, they made another run at us but then we got a little bit of a rhythm and then started guarding. We started getting some stops and getting out in the open court," Del Negro said.

The loss dropped Utah below .500 at 15-16. The Jazz have now lost six of their last eight.

Al Jefferson added 22 points for Utah. Hayward had 17 off the bench for Utah.

DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers, who had six players in double figures.

"It's all tough," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "On our home court. We had a lead, we gave up the lead but we continued to fight. We made some mistakes but fought our way through it and had a chance to win the ball game at the end. Unfortunately they got a lot of free throws."

NOTES: An unidentified Jazz employee was disciplined and had his access to the team Twitter account discontinued after what team officials deemed an inappropriate tweet regarding the firing of Nets coach Avery Johnson and Brooklyn's interest in Phil Jackson. The tweet said Jackson only wants "great players," an apparent reference to ex-Jazz point guard Deron Williams, who had criticized Johnson's offense. ... Jazz point guard Mo Williams still has swelling in his sprained right thumb and remains out indefinitely. ... The Clippers got a scare late in the first quarter when Lamar Odom came up limping. He returned in the second and finished with 12 points. ... The Clippers failed to register a blocked shot despite coming into the game averaging 6.52.

Notebook: Clippers 116, Jazz 114

Andrew Aragon, For NBA.com
Posted Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:20 AM - Updated Sat Dec 29, 2012 1:20 AM

THE FACTS: Not a brutal stretch in the schedule, or a motivated team in a tough place to play, or a double-digit deficit could stop the Los Angeles Clippers' franchise-record winning streak on Friday night as the Clippers, playing their third game in four nights, defeated the Utah Jazz 116-114 to record their 16th straight victory.

Of course, it helps to have Chris Paul as well. Paul sank two free throws following a silly reach-in foul by Al Jefferson with 3.7 seconds remaining to give Los Angeles (24-6) its winning margin.

Paul had 29 points and six assists to lead the Clippers in a game that closely resembled the last time the two teams played in Utah. Los Angeles overcame a 19-point second-half deficit to beat the Jazz (15-16) on Friday night. The Clippers rallied from 14 down to beat Utah on Dec. 3.

Randy Foye scored a season-high 28 points for the slumping Jazz, who have lost three straight home games and six of eight overall. Foye took the last shot for Utah, a 3-pointer that was tightly contested by Matt Barnes as time expired.

QUOTABLE: "We just got stops, defensively. They were hitting shots, we got stops and then we started hitting shots. Everything is going to balance out. Some nights you are not going to have it all four quarters. You might have it one or two and you have to make the most out of it and that is what we did."

--Clippers forward Blake Griffin

THE STAT: It was fitting that the game-deciding points were scored at the free-throw line. The game was more like a wrestling match and the officials called it closely on both sides. The two teams combined to commit 61 fouls and shoot 81 free throws.

TURNING POINT: Down 106-102 after Utah's Jamaal Tinsley sank a 3-pointer, the Clippers rallied and went ahead with a 7-0 run. Paul made two free throws, and DeAndre Jordan followed with a three-point play to put Los Angeles ahead 107-106. Andre was fouled by Paul Millsap, and banked in his free throw. Jamal Crawford then made a layup to give the Clippers a 109-106 lead, and Los Angeles was then able to hold off Utah with stellar defense. The Jazz made just one basket -- a jumper by Jefferson -- in the game's final four minutes.

HOT: After falling behind by 19 points in the third quarter, the Clippers got serious -- and started scorching the nets. They made eight of their last nine shots, and shot 61.1 percent in the third period. They outscored Utah 29-14 in the last eight minutes of the quarter. Paul led the way, scoring 13 of the team's 36 points. Jordan shot 6-for-8 and scored 16 points. Griffin shot 7-for-10 and had 22 points and 13 rebounds. Gordon Hayward had 17 points off the bench for Utah, with 11 of them coming at the free-throw line.

NOT: Crawford is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, but his shot was off against the Jazz. He shot just 3-for-11 and finished with 12 points. For the Jazz, Derrick Favors missed some close-range looks and shot just 2-for-7.

QUOTABLE II: "When [Jordan] came to give me the ball screen, I wasn't worried about Hayward, I was just worried about Al Jefferson. I could tell [Jefferson] was going to try and blitz me. Any time two guys try and trap me, I'm always going to attack the slower guy. If they wouldn't have called the foul, I was right around [Jefferson] anyway."

--Clippers guard Chris Paul on the game's final play

GOOD MOVE: Los Angeles refused to be satisfied after winning 15 straight games. They fought back tonight, though, and got back in the game by guarding the Jazz. After weathering a desperate Utah team's storm, the Clippers settled in during the game's last 20 minutes and got stops. They held the Jazz to 40 percent shooting in the fourth quarter. It's the type of defense L.A. has played throughout its 16-game winning streak.

BAD MOVE: Jefferson's foul on Paul with 3.7 seconds remaining was ridiculous. Jefferson saw that the pick-and-roll, a play he has tremendous difficulty defending, was coming and jumped it quick. As Paul was driving past him and Hayward, who was screened by Jordan, Jefferson reached in and fouled Paul. Instead of forcing Paul to hit a jumper in the final seconds, he made it easy on him and put him on the free-throw line. It wasn't a smart basketball play at that point in the game.

NOTABLE: The Clippers have allowed only one opponent -- the Jazz -- to score more than 100 points during their 16-game winning streak. Utah has done it twice after scoring 104 points against Los Angeles on Dec. 3. The Clippers have defeated the Jazz three straight times in Utah. It is the first time that's happened since 1979-81 when the Clippers were in San Diego. The Clippers have won seven straight road games, which is also a franchise record.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Sunday vs. Jazz, Tuesday @ Denver, Wednesday @ Golden State. For the Jazz, Sunday @ L.A. Clippers, Wednesday vs. Timberwolves, Friday @ Phoenix.

• Clippers: Billups, Hill, Thompkins
• Jazz: Bell, Murphy

• Clippers: Bledsoe, Griffin
• Jazz: --

• Lead Changes: 4
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #9 Derrick Stafford, #59 Gary Zielinski, #18 Matt Boland
• Attendance: 19911
• Duration: 2:32