Trailing 101-77 with 11 minutes left in the game, Houston outscored the Clippers 23-10 to cut the lead to 11 on Montrezl Harrell’s dunk with 4:34 left. They allowed the Clippers to shoot 64.3 percent from the field in the first half and were pummeled into giving up 72 points by halftime, the most L.A. has scored in a half this season.
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Houston suffered a 122-106 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and will look to bounce back when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. Jordan scored a good portion of his points with dunks in transition and alley-oop finishes from Paul on plays that he flat out out hustled Howard on. Zach LaVine scored 28 points in each of the last two games and matched a career high with six 3-pointers in Wednesday’s 114-108 victory in Memphis.
“He was great”, said Rivers, whose team will next play Saturday at Memphis. Minnesota have now won three of their last five road games and two of their last three games overall to improve to 22-46 on the season. We put a major focus on that. (James) Harden is just tough to stop, no matter what you do. “You win by 20, you win by one, it’s a win”.
“I thought our guys did a fantastic job being in the right spot”. We know people don’t think that certain players get along.
It represented textbook Los Angeles Clippers offense, with J.J. Redick bombing from deep early and DeAndre Jordan, in cahoots with Chris Paul, attacking the rim with impunity when an opponent pressed the 3-point arc. The Clips amassed 140 points in an overtime triumph against James Harden and company on January 18. He did his part, Howard did not, thanks to Jordan. It even came on the second night of a brutal Texas back-to-back, after Los Angeles lost at San Antonio on Tuesday.
Jamal Crawford had 14 points and seven assists; and Luc Mbah a Moute, Austin Rivers and Wesley Johnson each had 12 points as the Clippers snapped a two-game skid. Spurs reserves scored 51 points. The Clippers’ second unit scored 47 points and shot a combined 17 of 29 (58.6 percent). Howard had six points and seven rebounds….
“It opens up everything”, Paul said of Redick’s early 3-pointers. Bickerstaff said. “We were on our heels to start. We didn’t have our best effort last night, so this is a good feeling”. Black Griffin remained out for the Clippers and has not been cleared to start practicing yet…Los Angeles signed big-man Jeff Ayres for the remainder of the season.
The Clippers home had been The Beast 980, but the station was sold and changed formats. This time, they’ll be facing a Western Conference rival – the Los Angeles Clippers, which in turn is staring at a five-road trip.
The first court date for Clippers forward Branden Dawson is April 7.
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Houston is now tied with slumping Dallas (losers of six of 10) for the eighth seed.
