Clippers-Trail Blazers Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Jan 25 2013 5:09PM

It's uncertain when Chris Paul will return.

That leaves plenty of questions about how the Los Angeles Clippers are going to improve their offense.

Paul is likely to miss a third consecutive game Saturday night when the Pacific Division leaders begin a home-and-home set with the Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.

Paul played last Saturday and Monday after missing Los Angeles' sweep of a three-game trip because of a bruised right kneecap, but the All-Star point guard has not been able to go the last two games. He could also miss Portland's visit to Los Angeles on Sunday.

The Clippers (32-12) are scoring 101.2 points per game, but they've been held to fewer than 100 in a season-high five straight following Thursday's 93-88 loss at lowly Phoenix. Los Angeles shot 39.8 percent as it opened a stretch of 10 of 11 on the road with its third loss in a row.

"Our offense was stagnant," said All-Star forward Blake Griffin, whose 12 points were about six below his season average. "Our defense wasn't great. We did a poor job and it starts with me. I have to do a better job of setting the tone early and being a leader out there, especially with Chris not out there."

Griffin is expected to be there Saturday despite re-injuring his ankle early in the Phoenix loss but playing 36 minutes. He had fewer than 10 field-goal attempts for just the fifth time all season and went 2 for 8 at the free-throw line.

The Clippers dropped a season-high four in a row Nov. 21-26 but followed with a franchise-record 17-game win streak. They had won 24 of 27 before this three-game skid.

Eric Bledsoe has started the past two games at point guard but has totaled seven assists, well below Paul's 9.7 season average which ranks second in the NBA.

Los Angeles will try to get back on track in its second trip to Portland this season. Led by former Blazer Jamal Crawford's 25 points along with 21 apiece from Paul and DeAndre Jordan, the Clippers won 103-90 on Nov. 8 to improve to 7-26 at the Rose Garden.

Los Angeles can win three straight there for the first time.

Portland (21-21) is closing a five-game homestand after ending a season-high six-game slide with Wednesday's 100-80 victory over Indiana. It was a much-needed blowout win for the Blazers, who had played in a franchise-record 10 consecutive games decided by six points or fewer.

"It was refreshing, especially since we were on the good side of it," coach Terry Stotts said.

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points and received more good news Thursday, getting named an All-Star reserve for the second straight season. He's averaging 20.7 points and 8.8 boards.

"I was just trying to win," Aldridge said Wednesday when asked if he was distracted by the All-Star announcement.

Crawford won't be joining Aldridge on the West squad next month in Houston - much to his and his teammates' disappointment - but his 16.7 points per game rank first among NBA reserves.

The Clippers' bench leads the league with 41.5 points per game. Portland's backups are averaging an NBA-worst 16.5.

Blazers rebound to beat Clippers 101-100

By ANNE M. PETERSON
Posted Jan 27 2013 2:12AM

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Nicolas Batum held on to the game ball long after the confetti celebrating Portland's victory stopped falling from the rafters of the Rose Garden.

Batum had 20 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists - for his second triple-double in three games - and the Trail Blazers edged the Los Angeles Clippers 101-100 on Saturday night.

Batum had his first career triple-double on Monday in Portland's 98-95 loss to Washington. He had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

But that one didn't quite mean as much.

"It's a better taste when you win the game," he said following the victory, the ball sitting in front of his locker.

It was the fourth straight loss for the Clippers, who played without guard Chris Paul for the third consecutive game with a bruised right kneecap.

The game was the first of a back-to-back between the two teams, who meet again in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

The Clippers trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half but they reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter and held off the Blazers until Wesley Matthews pulled Portland within 100-99 with a layup and free throw.

J.J. Hickson made a pair of foul shots to give the Blazers back the lead with 45 seconds left and Jamal Crawford missed a 19-foot jumper for the Clippers with 0.9 seconds left for the final margin.

"I'll take that shot 10 out of 10 and I'll make it nine out of 10," Crawford said.

Batum grabbed the rebound of Crawford's final shot and encircled the ball tightly with both arms. He wouldn't even relinquish his hold when rookie Damian Lillard embraced him.

"I can't promise a triple-double every week, but I try to do something and help the team to win every game," Batum said.

Blake Griffin had 24 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Clippers, just shy of his third career triple-double.

"Tough pill to swallow," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We had an opportunity to steal this one and we couldn't convert down the stretch."

The Clippers are 3-3 in the six total games Paul has missed because of his kneecap. Del Negro said it was unclear when Paul might return.

Asked if Los Angeles missed him against the Blazers, Del Negro said simply: "Chris is our closer."

Eric Bledsoe once again started in the All-Star guard's place.

There also was uncertainty before the game about whether Griffin would play because of a sore left ankle. He tweaked it early in the Clippers' 93-88 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Portland was coming off a 100-80 victory Wednesday night over the Indiana Pacers that snapped a six-game losing streak.

The Blazers' victory against the Pacers also snapped a four-game losing streak at the Rose Garden. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points against Indiana and the next day was selected as an All-Star Game reserve. He will join Paul and Griffin on the West team for the game on Feb. 17 in Houston.

The Clippers pulled ahead 15-9 early, but Portland pulled in front briefly after Lillard's 3-pointer and Jared Jeffries' dunk made it 16-15. Portland reclaimed the lead to go into the second quarter ahead 25-22.

Aldridge's layup and free throw put the Blazers ahead 33-25. But the Rose Garden crowd stood when rookie Will Barton threw down Ronnie Price's fast-break lob to make it 38-25.

Portland maintained a 51-45 advantage at the break.

The Clippers came out with more urgency to start in the second half and Caron Butler's 3-pointer narrowed Portland's lead to 59-52. But Los Angeles really began to close the gap late in the third quarter when Crawford's 3-pointer pulled them within 80-74.

Hill's 3-pointer and Matt Barnes' layup pulled the Clippers within 84-83 with 8:54 left in the game. Crawford hit a pair of free throws to give Los Angeles its first lead since the first quarter, but it was short-lived and Batum hit a 3-pointer for the Blazers.

Portland clung to a narrow lead until Matt Barnes' tip-in, Griffin's hook and Crawford's short jumper gave the Clippers a 94-89 lead with 4:46 left.

Lillard, who hit a key 3-pointer that helped the Blazers make up ground in the final minutes, finished with 20 points. Matthews added 18.

Crawford had 19 points off the bench for the Clippers.

Notes: The Clippers have been without guard Chauncey Billups since Dec. 5 because of tendinitis in his left foot. Billups, Del Negro said, is improving, although there is still no timetable for his return. ... Del Negro said he thought Clippers sixth man Jamal Crawford - who played for the Blazers last year - should have made the All-Star team. Crawford is averaging 16.7 points and playing starter's minutes (29.3 per game) with the Clippers. "Obviously I'm biased," Del Negro said. "Jamal has been fantastic for us."

Notebook: Trail Blazers 101, Clippers 100

Kerry Eggers, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:46 AM - Updated Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:46 AM

THE FACTS: Jamal Crawford's 20-foot jump shot bounced off the rim as time expired, giving Portland a 101-100 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night at the Rose Garden. The Trail Blazers (22-21) scored the game's final 10 points, holding the Clippers (32-13) scoreless after Lamar Odom's dunk gave them a 100-91 lead with 2:38 to play.

Crawford scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, fueling a comeback that brought the Clippers from a 13-point third-quarter deficit to the nine-point lead in the closing minutes.

Nicolas Batum collected 20 points, a career-high 12 assists and 10 rebounds -- his second triple-double in three games -- to lead Portland (22-21), which won its second straight game after losing six in a row.

Blake Griffin had a game-high 24 points, matched his career high with 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds for the Clippers (32-13), who matched a season high with their fourth straight loss.

QUOTABLE: "To end the game on a 10-0 run was a testament to what we've done for most of the season. We don't quit. We bounce back. We're resilient."
-- Portland coach Terry Stotts

THE STAT: Portland made five fewer field goals (40-35) than the Clippers but won the game at the 3-point line (11-for-25 to the Clippers' 7-for-16) and the foul line (20-for-21 to the Clippers 13-for-17).

TURNING POINT: The Blazers trailed 100-91 when rookie Damian Lillard drilled a 3-point shot to close the gap to 100-94 with 2:22 left. That kicked off Portland's closing 10-0 run.

QUOTABLE II: "I thought it was in. That's the shot I wanted. I saw the defense behind Nic [Batum]. I got the space I wanted -- everything. I thought it was in when I let it go."
-- Jamal Crawford on his game-winning shot attempt.

HOT: The Blazers sank 4-for-5 3-point attempts in a 4 1/2-minute span of the third quarter as they built a 74-61 lead.

NOT: The Clippers went 0-for-5 with a turnover on their final five possessions.

GOOD MOVE: Crawford broke defender Wesley Matthews' ankles on a crossover move, sinking a short jumper in the first half. It was Crawford's only bucket in the half, though, as the former Blazers went 1-for-6 from the field.

GOOD MOVE II: Portland switched the 6-foot-8 Batum onto the 6-foot-5 Crawford late in the game, providing a little more length for the former Blazer to shoot over.

NOTABLE: It was Batum's second triple-double in the last three games. He is one of four NBA players with more than one triple-double this season. The others are Miami's LeBron James, Boston's Rajon Rondo and Toronto's Jose Calderon.

QUOTABLE III: "He does everything well. People don't realize how good a playmaker he is, defender, rebounder, scorer, shooter. Him having a triple-double, I'm not surprised by it. He always has his hands in everything. I expect him to get more."
-- Damian Lillard on Batum.

UP NEXT: For the Clippers, Sunday vs. Portland, Wednesday @ Minnesota, Friday @ Toronto. For the Trail Blazers, Sunday @ L.A. Clippers, Tuesday vs. Dallas, Friday @ Utah.

• Clippers: Billups, Thompkins
• Trail Blazers: Pavlovic, Williams

• Clippers: --
• Trail Blazers: --

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Rose Garden, Portland, OR
• Officials: #19 James Capers, #47 Bennie Adams, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 20672
• Duration: 2:13