LOS ANGELES – The offense got going in the second half Monday night and the Clippers held on in the fourth quarter to win their third straight game, 123-115.
Here are five quick takeaways from the Clippers’ (13-2) victory against the Raptors (8-6)
1) Starters pull away – The Clippers found themselves in the opposite situation they were Saturday. In that game against the Bulls, they trailed the majority of the night but continued to hang around until making their move in the fourth quarter to go ahead for the comeback win. On Monday, the Clippers were the team in control all night with the opponent hanging around, and unlike that Saturday matchup, the team in the lead put it away. The Clippers led, 97-93, when Chris Paul re-entered the game with six and a half minutes left in the fourth. And on a night all five starters scored in double figures, they all got involved in extending that lead to double digits from that point on. Paul put the ribbon on the win with a 3-pointer and an and-1 layup to put the Clippers back ahead by double digits in the final two minutes. The Raptors started hitting from deep to make it interesting from there, but the Clippers’ lead was too great.
2) Winning at the line – The Clippers entered the game with the league lead in free throws made and attempted, and the Raptors weren’t far behind at third and fourth, respectively. Advantage: Clippers. The Raptors were strong from the line, going 27-for-32, but the Clippers were better. The Hack-a-DJ strategy didn’t work, as DeAndre Jordan finished 9-for-14 from the line, and the Clippers as a team went 35-for-42.
3) Elite offenses awaken – After an uncharacteristically slow start for two of the league’s top three offenses, with the Raptors and Clippers beginning the game with nine combined turnovers and eight combined field goals, it started looking more normal toward the end of the second quarter. As both teams trudged along offensively through the early going, Jamal Crawford helped provide a spark with 12 points in the first half. And after trading 10-0 runs in the second quarter, the Clippers’ offense got going, scoring 16 points in the final four minutes. The Clippers scored 31 points in the second quarter, 34 points in the third and 35 in the fourth to finish it off, shooting 52.7 percent from the field. Paul and Griffin combined for 52 points and 19 assists, J.J. Redick added 20 points and DeAndre Jordan posted 17 points and 15 rebounds.
4) Griffin sparks big second half – As head coach Doc Rivers said afterward, Blake Griffin’s doing just about everything for the Clippers. Rivers talked about the kind of luxury it is to have a big capable of handling the ball and making decisions on the break, and Griffin provided all of that while scoring each of the Clippers’ first 10 points of the third quarter. Griffin, who had just five points in the first half, finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, marking his fourth straight game with at least 25 points. “He’s just been great for us,” Rivers said.
5) Johnson returns – After missing his previous five games with a left heel contusion, Wesley Johnson returned to the lineup Monday. “It’s just spacing, and, actually, we missed him defensively,” Rivers said before the game. Johnson said it was tough playing the waiting game, and he was eager to get back. He posted three rebounds in 12 minutes in his return.
What’s Next? – The Clippers start a six-game road trip Wednesday in Dallas.