Chris Paul/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com
The Miami Heat shot 55.6 percent in the first half and lead the Clippers 62-53 at the break at Staples Center.
Chris Bosh paced Miami with 17 points in the half while Chris Paul scored 12 for the Clippers and Blake Griffin had 10.
Chris Paul/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com
The Clippers got off to a quick start Sunday, leading the Miami Heat 19-6. But the Heat went on a 13-0 run and eventually led 30-29 after one quarter at Staples Center.
Chris Paul scored 10 points in the quarter for Los Angeles (25-12), with Hassan Whiteside scoring 12 for Miami (15-21).
Chris Paul, far left, scored 26 points and doled out 12 assists in Thursday’s 110-93 victory at Miami/Photo by Associated Press
Guard Chris Paul late Thursday night was asked if he was concerned about his team when it wasn’t clicking. The question came after the Clippers had defeated the Miami Heat 110-93 for their second consecutive victory to start a seven-game road trip.
Paul wouldn’t quite go there.
“No, I don’t think we were worried,” he said, “but at the same time we are not trying to write ourselves off as the champions. That’s two games. This league is all about consistency. We have to keep doing it.”
The Clippers (7-4) have five games left on the trip, beginning with a big game Sunday at Memphis (10-2), which leads the Western Conference.
Chris Paul scored 26 points and had 12 assists on Thursday in Miami/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com
The Clippers on Thursday night put on their best performance of the season by defeating the host Miami Heat 110-93 at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Los Angeles shot 55.8 percent from the field, 41.9 percent (13 of 31) from 3-point range. Miami shot 44.8 percent, just 23.1 percent (6 of 26) from beyond the arc.
The Clippers (7-4), who led 39-15 after one quarter, also out-rebounded the Heat (6-6) by a 35-30 count. Los Angeles had 31 assists, Miami just 11.
The Heat were missing guard Dwyane Wade (hamstring), but it’s unlikely his presence would have made much difference, the way the Clippers played.
Blake Griffin and Chris Paul scored 26 points apiece to lead the Clippers, J.J. Redick scored 14 points and DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Miami’s Chris Bosh led everyone with 28 points.
The Clippers are now 2-0 on this seven-game road trip. Up next are the Memphis Grizzlies (10-2) on Sunday at 3 p.m. (on Prime Ticket).
Chris Paul scored 16 points and doled out nine assists in the Clippers’ 114-90 victory at Orlando on Wednesday/Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Clippers, NBA.com
After all that negative talk about trust issues within the Clippers’ offense following their 105-89 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday at Staples Center, it was the opposite following the Clippers’ 114-90 victory Wednesday at Orlando to start a seven-game road trip.
“Tonight there was a lot more trust,” Chris Paul, who scored 16 points and doled out nine assists, said afterward. “We moved the ball very well and got open shots and we defended. That was huge for us.”
The Clippers (6-4) continue their trip tonight (Thursday) when they play at Miami at 5 (on Prime Ticket, TNT). The Heat (6-5) are superior to Orlando (5-8). Paul seems to realize that.
“That was one game,” he said of the win over the Magic. “I think (tonight) it will be a huge test to see if we can sustain it.”
Chris Bosh leads the Miami Heat in scoring and rebounding/Photo courtesy of Miami Heat, NBA.com
The Clippers figure to have a tougher time tonight (Thursday) when they play at Miami (6-5) at 5 (on Prime Ticket, TNT).
The Clippers won 114-90 at Orlando on Wednesday, but the Magic – now 5-8 – had only one quality victory, over Milwaukee. Their other four wins came against poor teams, including one against Philadelphia, which is 0-11.
Of Miami’s six victories, three have come against Toronto (9-2), Washington (7-3) and Dallas (9-3). That said, the Heat have lost three of their past four. Of course, the biggest difference is they no longer have LeBron James.
Still, coach Doc Rivers has nothing but praise for them. And a bit of concern that the Heat are refreshed because they haven’t played since Monday, when they broke a three-game losing streak with a 95-83 victory at Brooklyn.
“I haven’t watched them a lot,” Rivers said. “They are doing what they did last year. They’re great at moving the ball. They’re well-rested; I know they haven’t played in three or four days and we’re going to take their best punch. We know that. And we have to be able to take it.”
Chris Bosh, a 6-foot-11 post, leads Miami in scoring and rebounding with respective averages of 19.9 and 8.7. However, guard Dwyane Wade is doubtful and will likely miss his fourth consecutive game with a hamstring injury, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Wednesday.