|
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers have had a hard time this season maintaining leads at home. They will go up by double-digits early but squander the lead and be forced to hold on late in games that should have been over by the third quarter.   That wasn't the case Thursday as their lead grew to 13 in the first quarter, 35 in the second quarter and 46 by the time the fourth quarter rolled around as the Clippers beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-84 to win their third game in a row before embarking on a stretch that will see them play the next 10 games in 10 different cities. The Clippers are now tied for the fifth seed in the West and just 1 1/2 games out of the second-best record in the West.
Surprise of the night: Sure, the Clippers were favored to win the game but no one saw them going up by 46 points in the fourth quarter and 35 points before the half. It was a blowout from beginning to end and probably the Clippers' most dominating win of the season against a current playoff team. Celebrities of the night: Hollywood descended on Lob City for Thursday's game as Jay-Z and Beyonce sat courtside along with Floyd Mayweather, Matt Kemp, Bryce Harper and Dez Bryant. Jay-Z and Beyonce, who chatted with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer at the half, stayed until the bitter end of the blowout, and Clippers fans started to chant "We want Pacquiao!" at a smiling Mayweather late in the game. Stat of the night: The Clippers shot 59 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. The Nets shot 37.5 percent from the field and 19 percent from beyond the arc. That's not going to happen often but when it does, the Clippers are always going to win handily. Players of the night: Blake Griffin had 24 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, and DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Chris Paul had 6 points, 17 assists and 5 rebounds, and Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick had 17 points apiece.
|
