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Five Takeaways: Clippers Complete Comeback Vs. Bulls, 102-95

LOS ANGELES – The Clippers got a spark from Marreese Speights and outscored the Bulls, 30-18, in the fourth quarter to complete their biggest comeback win of the season, 102-95.

Here are five quick takeaways from the Clippers’ (12-2) victory against the Bulls (8-5).

1) A bucket short …for a while – After coming back from as many as 19 points in the first half, the Clippers cut the Bulls’ lead to five by halftime. It was around that time late in the first half that it seemed like every time the Clippers got close, something would happen for the Bulls’ lead to expand. The Clippers cut it to one late in the third quarter after Chris Paul hit a 3-pointer and another bucket, then the Bulls expanded it to six with free throws and offensive rebounds. Later in the quarter the Clippers cut it back down to four on a Speights 3-pointer, but missed their next two shots to end the quarter. To start the fourth, Paul Pierce cut the deficit back down to three again on a field goal, but the Bulls followed with an offensive rebound and a bucket.

2) Then comes Mo Buckets – Speights provided the extra spark Paul, Blake Griffin and the Clippers needed to get over the hump. His tip-in cut the deficit to three. When Bobby Portis answered, Speights did the same again at the other end with a 3-pointer. He then tied the game with two free throws, and Raymond Felton followed on a drive and lay-up to give the Clippers their first lead of the game. Head coach Doc Rivers rewarded Speights with late minutes, and he took advantage, grabbing an offensive rebound in the final minute and finding Jamal Crawford for a reverse lay-up that put the Clippers up by five with 49 seconds left. That cushion would end up being enough. Speights scored 11 of his 16 points and added two of his four rebounds in the fourth quarter.

3) Paul and Griffin strong – Griffin and Paul led the way offensively, and while the Clippers played the majority of the night from behind, the star duo made sure the Clippers were within striking distance the entire time. Paul finished with 19 points and eight assists, while Griffin finished with team highs in points (26) and rebounds (13), while also adding five assists and his dunk of the year, putting Robin Lopez on a poster during a second quarter run for the Clippers that started to turn the momentum, as a 19-point deficit got down to five by the half.

4) Griffin leads at line – The Clippers went 19-for-23 at the free-throw line, led by Griffin, who was 10-for-10. None were more important than his final two, as Clippers led by two and he was fouled by Jimmy Butler with the shot clock winding down. Griffin, as his final free-throw percentage would indicate, knocked both down, ensuring the Clippers would have a two-possession advantage in the final seconds. Griffin’s 10-for-10 mark at the line marked his second-most makes in a game without a miss in his career.

5) No schedule loss – Head coach Doc Rivers said he knew before the game this particular matchup, coming home for the second game of a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights against a tough opponent, was going to be a tough one. Early on, it looked like the fatigue might be catching up, but Rivers credited the Clippers’ defense and mental toughness for, as he likes to put it, not letting go of the rope. Rivers said it was the type of game where the coaching book gets thrown out and unconventional lineups get thrown in, which happened throughout the second half, but the Clippers’ fourth-quarter defense and timely shots down the stretch gritted them through it. It’ll have to stay that way, as the Clippers don’t have two games off between games until Dec. 5-6.

What’s Next? – The Clippers host the Raptors on Monday.

NOTES: Wesley Johnson (heel) missed his fifth straight game, but he said Saturday he’s hoping to return Monday … Diamond Stone, playing in his first D-League game at Santa Cruz, poured in 31 points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench …