Griffin Has Best Game Back As Clippers Beat Lakers

Score: LAC 91 – LAL 81

LOS ANGELES – The first quarter counted far more than the final score Wednesday night, which ended with the Clippers storming ahead from the Lakers in the second half for the second straight night.

What really mattered for the Clippers was watching Blake Griffin aggressively attack the paint, get to the line, and look far more his normal self while tallying more points in the first nine minutes than he had combined in his previous two games back from injury.

“It’s just good to see the ball go in a couple times and get to the moves you want to get to and not turn the ball over as much,” Griffin said.

After just a quarter, Griffin already had 11 points and five rebounds on 4-for-4 shooting and would go on to finish the game with 13 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes of work.

The Clippers grabbed a double digit lead at halftime and increased it in the third quarter, not needing their starters much in the second half of a 91-81 victory in their last game ever against Kobe Bryant.

Griffin knows he needs to be patient working his way back in, but he started to resemble the type of player the Clippers know they’ll need to get where they want during the playoffs.

“I felt good, my legs felt good,” Griffin said. “That’s what’s allowed me to play more. Those are all good things – just keep going.”

Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, DeAndre Jordan and Griffin each finished with at least 13 points apiece before watching the backups finish off the Lakers, which they might do again Friday. Head coach Doc Rivers said Griffin will definitely get the night off against the Jazz, and he had planned on treating the Utah game like he did the last game in Oklahoma City – when Paul, Jordan and Redick all rested – but that might depend on health.

Austin Rivers (ankle) and Wesley Johnson (foot) didn’t play Wednesday, and Jamal Crawford got the night off for rest.

Key Moment: The Clippers fully appreciated the fact that it was their final game against Bryant – so much so that, with the game basically wrapped up, the Clippers’ starters tried to convince Doc Rivers to let them back in once Bryant went back to the scorers’ table to check in with 4:50 left. Rivers thought it was funny, but decided against it.

“I thought about it for a second because they wanted to finish the game if he was going to finish the game – not competitively – they just wanted to be on the floor when Kobe was out there,” Rivers said.

Clippers Star: DeAndre Jordan – He went 7-for-9 from the floor and scored 15 points while pulling down 11 rebounds and blocking four shots in 27 minutes. Among a flurry of dunks, one stood out in particular as he snagged an offensive rebound and threw it down over Roy Hibbert.

Lakers Star: Kobe Bryant – He was only 6-for-19, but he led the Lakers with 17 points, and in his final game against the Clippers and second to last game at STAPLES Center, he was once again the main attraction.

X-Factor: Blake Griffin – Jordan and Redick had more points and Paul had more assists, but the fact that Griffin looked more comfortable and confident and less hesitant meant more than anything going forward.

Quotes of the Day:

Blake Griffin – “I’ve been encouraged after every game with how I felt.”

Doc Rivers on Bryant – “If not for him, I would have two rings. He clearly was my most difficult test.”

Chris Paul – “It’s been great getting Blake back because a lot of our offense runs so much more smoothly. He knows where to be on defense, he knows where to be on offense. It just brings our continuity back to where it’s supposed to be.”

NOTES: The Clippers won their 11th straight game against the Lakers … Doc Rivers earned his 750th career victory in the win, becoming the 16th coach in NBA history to reach the mark … J.J. Redick scored his 7,000th career point in the second quarter … Griffin said it would’ve been cool to have had a playoff series against Bryant and that true rivalries are “kind of made in the playoffs” … The Clippers’ win was their 50th of the season …