Jazz-Clippers Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Dec 29 2012 6:34PM

By adding one more victory to their already historic winning streak, the Los Angeles Clippers can be part of an exclusive club.

The Utah Jazz have other plans after giving the Clippers their toughest time during the run.

The red-hot Clippers will try to become the third team in NBA history to complete a 16-0 month Sunday night when they close out December at home against the Jazz.

Los Angeles (24-6) is trying to defeat the Jazz (15-16) for a second straight game after rallying from a 19-point second-half deficit in a 116-114 win Friday night in Utah.

"This one is a great win for us because we kind of needed a challenge," forward Blake Griffin said. "(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."

The Clippers extended their franchise-record winning streak to 16 games, the NBA's longest since Boston won 19 in a row Nov. 15-Dec. 23, 2008. Their run began Nov. 28, and they now have a chance to join the 1995-96 Spurs and 1971-72 Lakers as the only teams to win all 16 of their games in a calendar month.

Los Angeles also had a difficult time at Utah on Dec. 3, trailing by 14 points before coming away with a 105-104 win in the third game of the streak. Aside from the Jazz, no other team has lost to the Clippers by fewer than five during the run, with Los Angeles winning its 16 straight by an average of 15.5 points.

It doesn't figure to get any easier for Utah at Staples Center, where the average margin has been 18.8 points in the Clippers' nine home victories during the streak.

Chris Paul, who led six Los Angeles players in double figures with 29 points Friday, has averaged 25.8 points on 57.1 percent shooting during the Clippers' four-game winning streak against the Jazz. Griffin's numbers are even better in those games, with 26.8 points per contest on 66.2 percent shooting along with 11.5 rebounds.

The Jazz, who have lost six of eight overall, will try to find a way to slow the Clippers after allowing their second-most points in regulation this season Friday. Los Angeles has averaged 108.3 points on 49.5 percent shooting over its last four games in the series.

Utah has jumped out to a halftime lead in each of the first two meetings this season only to have the Clippers rally both times.

"It's going to be another hard-fought contest on their home floor and we need a win, so we'll go out and be ready to compete," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said.

Ex-Clipper Randy Foye has done his best for Utah against his former team, averaging 23.5 points on 15-of-24 (62.5 percent) shooting in the two 2012-13 matchups.

The Jazz are averaging 98.6 points on 44.4 percent shooting this season, but they've put up 109.0 points per game while shooting 52.4 percent - including 18 of 35 (51.4 percent) from 3-point range - versus Los Angeles.

While the Clippers have limited opponents to an average of 89.1 points during their winning streak, only the Jazz have scored more than 100 points over that stretch, doing it twice.

Utah, though, is expected to be without starting point guard Mo Williams for a fourth consecutive game because of swelling in his sprained right thumb.

Clippers win 17th in row, finish December at 16-0

By BETH HARRIS
Posted Dec 31 2012 1:21AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) After their 17th consecutive victory gave them a perfect month, the Los Angeles Clippers finally paused to admire their achievement.

"We got something extremely magical going on," said Caron Butler after the Clippers beat the Utah Jazz 107-96 on Sunday night to become the third team in NBA history to record a perfect month.

"When we win we usually jump up and down once or twice," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Tonight we let them jump and down three or four times, so everyone had their fill."

The Clippers went 16-0 in December to join the 1995-96 San Antonio Spurs, which included Del Negro, and 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers as the only teams to go undefeated in a month. Their franchise-record winning streak is the longest since Boston won 19 in a row four years ago.

"I am amazed because I haven't done it since I've been in the league," said seven-year veteran Chris Paul, whose 19 points and nine assists helped his team maintain the league's best record at 25-6.

Butler led the Clippers with 29 points despite not playing in the fourth quarter and made all six of his 3-pointers, including five in the opening period. Jamal Crawford scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. Blake Griffin piled up five fouls and was held to seven points after getting double-teamed.

"That shows our depth," Paul said. "Our bench stepped up amazing. On any given night it can be another guy."

The streak isn't talked about among the players and coaches. But it's a popular topic among everyone else.

"That's an incredible record to have," Utah's Derrick Favors said. "They've got 17 straight wins and they're playing hard. I know there's a lot of pressure on them to try to keep it up, and they're going to keep coming out and keep playing the same way."

Actually, it's just the opposite, according to Griffin, who said the last month "is the most fun I've ever had playing basketball."

"You don't really think about it that much. We're having a blast," he said about the streak. "It's not like it's one of these things where it's so much pressure."

Al Jefferson scored 30 points - one off his season high - to lead Utah, which fell victim for the third time during the Clippers' streak. The Jazz lost 116-114 on Friday when the Clippers rallied from 19 points down, and they were beaten 105-104 on Dec. 3, both times at home.

"It's frustrating," said Gordon Hayward, who had 16 points. "Knowing that they're a good team and knowing that we're always right there with them, knowing that we need to keep on playing good for 48 minutes."

The Jazz lost their third in a row and seventh in the last nine games.

"We can't make any mistakes against them, especially on their home floor because they make you pay for it," Jefferson said.

Crawford keyed a 10-5 run to open the fourth, highlighted by a 3-pointer and a fast break pull-up jumper that helped the Clippers extend their lead to 89-81. Paul and Griffin didn't join the second unit until 5:55 remained and Utah had closed within four on a basket by Favors.

That was as close as the Jazz got. The Clippers made 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch and their defense held Utah to one field goal in the final 3:38.

"It was a grind-it-out game, nothing pretty about it," Crawford said. "We got us a nice thing going and we got to keep it going."

Los Angeles stretched its lead to 71-59 in the third quarter, when Butler scored 10 of their first 17 points.

From there, the Jazz closed on a 17-8 run to pull to 79-76 going into the fourth. Utah briefly took its first lead since early in the game when Jefferson scored over Lamar Odom, but the Jazz committed two costly turnovers in the final 49 seconds.

Paul got fouled and made both free throws, and then Matt Barnes stole the ball from Jamaal Tinsley and fed Paul on the break. He missed but Crawford was there to tip it in and restore the Clippers' lead.

"We haven't been playing our best basketball the last few games," Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We're playing hard, but we've got to be a little smarter and not make the kind of mistakes we made down the stretch."

The Clippers shot 62 percent en route to a 54-45 halftime lead, with Butler scoring 17 points in the first quarter. Utah led briefly to start the game when Jefferson scored eight of their first 13 points.

NOTES: Los Angeles improved to 11-3 at home. ... The Jazz fell to 6-13 on the road. ... Clippers F Ronny Turiaf says his right elbow is "messed up." He said he hurt it a couple games ago when he felt discomfort while boxing out. ... Odom's ankle is bothering him. ... The Clippers haven't lost since Nov. 26 at home against New Orleans.

Notebook: Clippers 107, Jazz 96

Dan Arritt, for NBA.com
Posted Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:29 AM - Updated Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:29 AM

THE FACTS: The Clippers had won the previous 16 games in a variety of ways. They've led wire to wire in some victories and staged a 19-point second-half comeback in another. Sometimes the reserves have led the way, other times it was last season's All-Stars, point guard Chris Paul and power forward Blake Griffin. In their latest triumph Sunday night against the visiting Jazz, it was veteran forward Caron Butler who put the Clippers on his back, making all six of his 3-point attempts and scoring a team-high 29 points in the 107-96 victory at Staples Center, their 17th in a row.

THE STAT: The Clippers became the third NBA team to finish 16-0 in a month, joining the 1971-72 Lakers and the 1995-96 Spurs. Three of the December victories came against the Jazz.

QUOTABLE II: "It's been a great month for us. Usually, when we win, we jump up and down once or twice in the locker room. But tonight we got to jump up and down three or four times."

-- Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro

TURNING POINT: Despite missing starting guard Mo Williams (sprained right thumb) and forward Marvin Williams (inflamed right knee), the Jazz still managed to erase a nine-point halftime deficit and take a 76-75 lead on a post move by Al Jefferson with 2:03 left in the third quarter. L.A. clamped down on defense, however, and outscored the Jazz, 4-0, over the remainder of the quarter, then produced the first basket of the fourth to go ahead 81-76. The reserves maintained the lead long enough for Griffin and Paul to check back in with 5:54 left in the game and the Clippers leading by four. Jamal Crawford then scored four straight points and Utah never got closer than five the rest of the way.

HOT: Butler was at his best in the opening quarter, making four 3-pointers in the first 7 1/2 minutes and five overall. He scored 17 points in the quarter to help the Clippers to a quick double-digit lead. The six 3-pointers were the second-most of his career behind the franchise-record nine he made Nov. 26 against the Hornets, which happened to be the last game the Clippers lost.

QUOTABLE II: "I thought [Butler] gave us a big boost early and in the third quarter just scoring the ball. I thought we were, I don't want to say lethargic, but we just didn't have that extra step early on."

-- Del Negro

NOT: The absence of Mo Williams should represent a prime opportunity for second-year point guard Alec Burks to show what he can do. But in the 3 1/2 games since Williams was injured, Burks hasn't taken advantage. He had two points against the Clippers on 1-for-4 shooting. In the last four games, he's 11-for-30 from the field with seven assists and four turnovers. Jamaal Tinsley was somewhat better as Williams' replacement in the starting lineup, finishing with eight points and 11 assists but also committing a season-high five turnovers.

GOOD MOVE: Crawford had another solid game for the Clippers, finishing with 19 points off the bench, but he was getting a little too trigger happy in the fourth quarter, even after Paul checked back into the game. Del Negro switched ball-handling duties to Paul after Crawford didn't pass the ball before missing a 20-footer with just under five minutes remaining. Paul scored on a drive the next trip down the floor, then set up Matt Barnes for a 3-point basket, pushing the lead to 98-90 with 3:13 remaining. The Jazz then intentionally fouled center DeAndre Jordan on two consecutive possessions, but Jordan made three of four from the line to stymie any comeback hopes.

BAD MOVE: The Clippers shot 68.8 percent from the floor in the second quarter and held Utah to 26.9 percent, but only outscored the Jazz by four points because they committed seven turnovers in the quarter and allowed six offensive rebounds.

NOTABLE: Griffin finished with seven points, matching his second-lowest scoring output this season. His lowest scoring game (four) came in Butler's highest-scoring game (33) against the Hornets. ... Paul Millsap, the second-leading scorer on the Jazz behind Jefferson, did not play in the fourth quarter and finished with nine points on 2-for-7 shooting. Millsap matched his season low by playing just 20 minutes. ... Clippers guard Willie Green matched his season high with three assists -- all in the opening quarter.

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

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

• Jazz: Tinsley
• Clippers: Barnes, Griffin

• Lead Changes: 7
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #7 Kevin Fehr, #26 Pat Fraher
• Attendance: 19111
• Duration: 2:17