KPTV - FOX 12Chris Paul, Clippers too much for Blazers

Chris Paul, Clippers too much for Blazers

In the closing seconds with his team ahead by two points, Chris Paul showed why the Los Angeles Clippers wanted him so badly.

Paul scored on a driving layup, won a crucial jump ball against
Jamal Crawford and then came up with a steal to help his new team
open the new year with a 93-88 victory over the Portland Trail
Blazers on Sunday night that snapped a two-game skid.

"I take a lot of pride in controlling the game," said Paul,
who scored 17 points. "When you're down to the last 2, 3 minutes,
it's all about managing the game, time and score."

Blake Griffin had 20 points and 10 rebounds for his second
straight double-double, Caron Butler added 19 points and Mo
Williams 13 off the bench to send the Blazers to their first loss
of the season.

"We were all over the place, diving for loose balls, scrapping,
getting steals and getting out on the break," Griffin said. "With
two not-so-solid defensive games, it's good to come out and play
like this."

After allowing San Antonio and Chicago to shoot more than 50
percent in losing their previous two games, the Clippers held the
Blazers to 42 percent.

Crawford scored 23 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 for the
Blazers, playing on the road for the first time after opening 3-0
at home. Nicolas Batum added 15 points. Portland erased most of a
17-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but the Clippers hung on to
end a five-game losing streak against their Western Conference
rival.

"CP's a great player all by himself," former Clipper Marcus
Camby said, "and then when he got together with all those athletic
guys like `Dre (DeAndre Jordan) and Blake, just throwing the ball
up to the rim, it provides a lot of energy in the building, keeps
those young guys pumped up, and they tend to feed off that."

The Blazers opened the fourth quarter with six straight points
before Williams scored five in a row for the Clippers. Portland
used a 16-5 run to close to 81-77 with just more than five minutes
left. Crawford and Batum had six points each with both hitting
3-pointers.

Paul tossed up an off-balance 3-pointer to beat the 24-second
clock and keep the Clippers ahead 84-77. He and Griffin combined to
score nine consecutive points and extend the lead to nine points.

"That's why he's the best point guard in the league," Griffin
said about Paul. "When we really need a bucket he can get to the
rim or double-pump and get a 3."

But the Blazers ran off five in a row, with Crawford making
three free throws to get to 90-86 with 1:57 remaining.

Aldridge missed an open 3 in front of the Clippers' bench and
Butler got fouled, but he missed both and then missed a 3-pointer,
leaving the Clippers clinging to a four-point lead with 33 seconds
to go.

Aldridge hit a turnaround bank shot to leave Portland trailing
by two before Paul's layup made it 92-88 with 9 seconds left.

The Clippers won a crucial jump ball when Paul got the tip from
Crawford. Williams was fouled and he made a free throw to seal the
win.

"It wasn't good basketball at all," Crawford said. "We've had
46 turnovers in the last two games and that's uncharacteristic of
what we've been doing. So if we clean that up, I think we'll be in
good shape. Most of our turnovers were self-inflicted. When you
don't get a chance at the rim against a point guard like Chris
Paul, he'll pick you apart."

The Clippers pulled away to lead by 17 points in the third, when
they outscored the Blazers 25-16. Williams capped the period with a
steal and 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down that sent Los
Angeles into the fourth leading 69-52.

"We did a better job in the first half and it kind of got away
from us a little bit in the second half, mostly the fourth quarter
with their penetration," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We
gave up too many points in the fourth, but I thought our guys
gutted it out really well and made some plays down the stretch."

The Clippers led 44-36 at the break, having held Portland to 33
percent shooting while dominating the paint in the first half.
Jordan punctuated the half with a handful of dunks that excited the
crowd.

Chauncey Billups missed his second straight game for the
Clippers because of a sore right groin. Del Negro was hopeful the
35-year-old point guard could return for Wednesday's game against
Houston.

NOTES: Both teams had 21 turnovers. ... The Blazers failed to
score at least 100 points for the first time in four games. ... The
Clippers improved to 5-4 on New Year's Day. ... The Blazers played
the first of 18 games this month, tying the most played by them in
any month in team history.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)