NBA: Clippers' Paul George to miss 2-3 weeks with knee sprain

LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Clippers swingman Paul George will miss the next two to three weeks of the NBA season with a sprained right knee, the club announced on Wednesday.

The injury, suffered in Tuesday's 101-100 loss to Oklahoma City, means the 32-year-old US playmaker will miss at least seven games and could be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season.

George is averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals a game for the Clippers this season.

The eight-time NBA All-Star fell to the court in pain after being fouled by Canadian guard Luguentz Dort of the Thunder and was helped to the locker room.

George, in his 13th NBA campaign, was a member of the 2016 US gold medal team at the Rio Olympics.

Losing George for the final stretch run of the season could be a major setback for the Clippers' playoff hopes.

The Clippers rank fifth in the Western Conference at 38-35 but are only two games ahead of 10th-place Utah in the fight for post-season positions.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Grizzlies pull away for victory over Clippers

Ja Morant compiled 28 points, five rebounds and five assists and Brandon Clarke keyed a fourth-quarter run that powered the Memphis Grizzlies to a 120-108 defeat of the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

Clarke scored 10 of his 14 points off the bench in the fourth quarter, including eight straight Memphis points during a 15-2 run in the early period that blew the game open.

The Grizzlies pushed the lead to as many as 23 points in the final period. Los Angeles could cut the deficit to no fewer than 12 points.

Four of the five Grizzlies starters scored in double figures. In addition to Morant, Dillon Brooks and Jaren Jackson Jr. both finished with 18 points, and Desmond Bane added 16.

Clarke's effort led a 38-point night from the Memphis reserves.

Los Angeles got 42 points from its bench, led by 15 and 11 from Luke Kennard and Isaiah Hartenstein.

Paul George led all Los Angeles players with 23 points, Reggie Jackson added 18 points with five assists, and Ivica Zubac had 13 points and seven rebounds.

Memphis dominated Los Angeles in the paint, outscoring the Clippers on the interior ,74-36.

The Grizzlies' inside attack translated to a 54.2 percent field-goal rate. Memphis went 11 of 26 (42.3 percent) from 3-point range, keyed by Jackson's 3-of-7 shooting. Los Angeles hit 46.7 percent from the floor, 41 percent from long distance.

Memphis began to gain separation in the third quarter when, holding a one-possession lead, Morant scored 10 points in a stretch lasting about three minutes. The Grizzlies extended their advantage to nine points by the end of the third quarter, setting the stage for their game-changing, fourth-quarter run.

The Grizzlies have won back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 1-3. They dropped three straight before blowing out the Houston Rockets 136-102 on Monday.

After winning seven straight games, the Clippers have dropped two of their past three.

-reuters-

NBA: Strong defensive effort guides Clippers past Suns in Game 3

Paul George scored a game-high 27 points, Patrick Beverley harassed Devin Booker into a second consecutive subpar performance and the Los Angeles Clippers worked their Game 3 magic once again Thursday night in a 106-92 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference finals.

The Clippers got back into the best-of-seven series with a win after two opening defeats in Phoenix. Game 4 is scheduled for Saturday night, also in Los Angeles.

Reggie Jackson chipped in with 23 points for Los Angeles while Ivica Zubac outplayed Deandre Ayton with a 15-point, 16-rebound performance.

Booker shot just 5-for-21 en route to 15 points for second-seeded Phoenix. Chris Paul, making his series debut after being released from COVID protocol, struggled to 15 of his own on 5-for-19 shooting. They combined to sink just 3 of 14 3-point attempts.

Paul, who managed a game-high 12 assists in 39 minutes, hadn't played since Game 4 of the Western semifinals against the Denver Nuggets on June 13.

The Clippers, who became the first team in NBA history to erase 2-0 deficits in each of their first two playoff series, trailed this time 48-46 at halftime before dominating the second half.

Down 55-50 in the second minute of the third period, the Clippers got three consecutive hoops from Terance Mann to grab a lead they never relinquished en route to finishing the quarter on a 30-14 run.

George's buzzer-beating, half-court shot capped the surge that produced an 80-69 lead, after which the Suns got no closer than six.

George complemented his 27 points with 15 rebounds and a team-high eight assists. He helped the Clippers bounce back from a last-second defeat in Game 2 of the series with a defensive effort that limited the Suns to 38.9 percent shooting from the floor.

Mann finished with 12 points in the win.

Ayton had 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds for Phoenix, which lost key reserve Cameron Payne to an ankle injury in the second period. Mikal Bridges added 13 points and Cameron Johnson 12 in the defeat.

With Paul returning from his long absence, the Suns seemed comfortable slowing the pace and getting into a defensive struggle in the first half. However, Paul and Booker each shot just 2-for-10 in the half.

The Clippers again were without star forward Kawhi Leonard, who has a sprained right knee. He has missed the team's past five games.

-Field Level Media-

NBA: Chris Paul to return for Suns, not Clippers' Kawhi Leonard

While the Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul is expected to make his series debut in Thursday's Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard will remain unavailable.

The Suns, who won the first two games of the series on their home court, listed Paul as probable, after he entered the NBA's health and safety protocols last week. Paul tested positive for COVID-19 despite reportedly being vaccinated.

The Clippers officially ruled out Leonard, described variously as a right knee sprain and a sprained ACL, and ESPN reported that the team isn't sure Leonard will play at all in the series.

The 36-year-old Paul, a 10-time All-NBA guard, was stellar in the Suns' four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals before testing positive. He shot 62.7 percent from the field to average 25.5 points per game, along with 10.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds.

Leonard hasn't played since Game 4 of the conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz. The Clippers eliminated the Jazz in six games.

In 11 games played this postseason, he is averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

-Field Level Media-

NBA: Kawhi's triple-double sparks Clippers past Heat

Kawhi Leonard scored 17 of his game-high 33 points in the crucial third quarter and had his first career triple-double as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the host Miami Heat 122-117 on Friday night.

Los Angeles went from down six points to up 15 in the game-changing third quarter. The Clippers had trailed by 15 in the first period.

The Heat, who entered the game with the NBA's best home record at 20-1, were led by Jimmy Butler, who had 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists before going out with a right-ankle injury in the fourth quarter. 

The Heat's only home losses this season have come against Los Angeles teams -- they lost to the Lakers on Dec. 13.

Leonard, who rested in Los Angeles' previous game, also had 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He was named an All-Star starter for the fourth time on Thursday and now has seven straight 30-point-plus games.

Clippers shooting guard Landry Shamet had 22 points.

Miami was without three rotation players: guard Goran Dragic (calf injury), Kendrick Nunn (foot) and Justise Winslow (back).

Due to those injuries, Heat guard Dion Waiters made his season debut. Waiters, who was unhappy with his lack of playing time in the preseason and was suspended three times during the year, scored 14 points in 18 minutes.

Heat rookie guard Tyler Herro, who started in place of Nunn, had 19 points.

Los Angeles was without two injured starters: point guard Patrick Beverley (groin) and forward Paul George (hamstring).

Los Angeles struggled early, falling behind 24-9. Waiters entered with 1:38 left in the first quarter and almost immediately launching an errant 3-pointer.

Miami led 30-22 after the first quarter. The Clippers, thanks in part to 16 first-half points by Shamet, cut their deficit to 65-63 at the break. The Clippers survived Leonard's 2-of-11 shooting in the first half.

Los Angeles took its first lead with 5:43 left in the third quarter on a Leonard jumper. The Clippers finished the quarter with a 15-0 run, taking a 101-85 lead into the fourth.

Miami cut its deficit to 118-115 on a Waiters 3-pointer with 34 seconds left, but Leonard went 4-of-4 on free throws in the next half-minute to clinch the decision.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: George, Leonard send Clippers past Suns

Paul George scored 24 points and Kawhi Leonard added 20, guiding the Los Angeles Clippers to a 120-99 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

Lou Williams, who returned from a two-game absence due to a sore calf, had 20 points and eight assists for the Clippers, who are 14-1 at home and winners of five of their last seven contests. Williams converted 5 of 7 3-pointers and made 7 of 13 shots from the floor.

Los Angeles reserve Montrezl Harrell finished with 15 points, while Ivica Zubac had 12 points.

Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points for the Suns, who lost their fourth consecutive contest. Deandre Ayton, who returned from his 25-game suspension for testing positive for a diuretic, finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, seven of those on the offensive end. Frank Kaminsky chipped in 12 points and nine boards.

The Suns played without guard Devin Booker, their leading scorer at 25 points per game. Booker missed his third straight contest with a right forearm contusion.

The Clippers blew the game open in the third quarter. They used a 13-4 burst capped by a 3-pointer by Leonard with 2:16 left in the third to seize an 81-62 advantage. Leonard scored 12 in the quarter as Los Angeles outscored Phoenix, 36-25, to take a 90-69 lead heading into the fourth.

Phoenix got no closer than 15 the rest of the way.

The Clippers held a 54-44 edge at the break. Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, with the Clippers hitting 38.8 percent of their shots to 40 percent for the Suns. Overall, the Clippers outshot the Suns 50.6 percent to 40.2 percent. Los Angeles was 14 of 32 on 3-pointers (43.8 percent) to 10 of 35 (28.6 percent) for Phoenix.

George had three of the Clippers' 14 steals.

Clippers reserve forward JaMychal Green sat out his fifth consecutive game with a tailbone contusion.

Phoenix also was without guard Tyler Johnson, who missed his second contest in a row with an illness.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: George, Leonard combine for 88 in Clippers' win over Wolves

Paul George scored 46 points and Kawhi Leonard added 42 as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers showed off their star power Friday and held on for a 124-117 victory Friday over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Leonard and George became the first duo in Clippers history to each score at least 40 points in a game.

Montrezl Harrell added 18 points off the bench as the Clippers won despite playing without a true point guard. 

Patrick Beverley sat out after leaving Wednesday's game at Toronto with a concussion, while Lou Williams also was sidelined with a sore right calf.

Despite the lack of a playmaker the Clippers delivered 16 assists to 17 for the Timberwolves. George had seven of those assists for the Clippers, who won their fourth consecutive game, all on the road.

The Timberwolves went to work with their own scoring duo as Karl-Anthony Towns scored 39 points and Andrew Wiggins added 34. Towns added 12 rebounds and stayed in the game despite an injury to his left knee with 1:42 remaining.

The Timberwolves lost their seventh consecutive game overall and their seventh consecutive home game.

The Clippers led 33-29 after one quarter and extended the advantage to 65-58 at halftime by shooting 47.7 percent from the field and forcing Minnesota into 10 turnovers.

The Clippers outscored the Wolves 37-23 in the third quarter to take a 102-81 lead, leading by as many as 27 in the period. But Minnesota refused to go away, going on a 25-9 run to open the fourth quarter and cutting the deficit to four points twice in the final 1:04.

The Clippers managed to close out the victory as George shot 17 of 31 from the field and 6 of 15 from 3-point range. Leonard went 10 of 24 overall and 3 of 3 from distance, while making all 19 of his free throws.

Rodney McGruder scored four points for Los Angeles in his first game since Nov. 27 after sitting out with a hamstring injury. Terance Mann added three assists in 17 minutes while making his fourth start of the season.

Jeff Teague scored 22 points and Robert Covington added 10 as the Wolves were 38 of 85 (44.7 percent) from the field, but just 10 of 41 (24.4 percent) from 3-point range.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Clippers win 7th straight as Harrell’s tip-in sinks Grizzlies

Montrezl Harrell tipped in the game-winner with 2.3 seconds remaining, capping a raucous fourth-quarter rally as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-119 on Wednesday night to earn their seventh straight victory.

In what was a competitive game throughout, Memphis opened the fourth quarter with the first 10 points, part of a 19-6 run that spanned the first five minutes of the period. Looking to end a four-game skid, Memphis led for much of the fourth quarter.

The Clippers battled back behind 24 points and 10 rebounds from Harrell, and 24 points from Lou Williams. Moe Harkless scored just five points, getting the start in place of Kawhi Leonard, but provided a win-sealing block of Jaren Jackson Jr.'s shot in the final seconds that would have tied the score.

After a full-strength Clippers lineup beat the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday in the first leg of a back-to-back, reigning NBA Finals MVP Leonard missed Wednesday's game. The NBA fined Los Angeles $50,000 earlier this month when coach Doc Rivers made comments about managing Leonard's workload.

The Clippers came into their current, three-game road trip with just one win away from Staples Center this season. They played without All-Star Paul George for the season's first month, which included four of their first five road games.

Following a dominant performance Tuesday in Dallas, George scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished two assists on Wednesday. George's second 3-pointer of the final 4:10 gave Los Angeles its first lead of the fourth quarter.

Jonas Valanciunas posted game highs of 30 points and 16 rebounds for Memphis.

Rookie guard Ja Morant endured a slow scoring start, but the Grizzlies' leading scorer this season woke up down the stretch. He scored nine of his 20 points late in the fourth quarter, and dished a game-high 11 assists for the night.

Jae Crowder added 20 points and Jackson 17 for Memphis..

--Field Level Media

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Clippers manhandle Mavs for 6th straight win

Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, and Paul George added 17 of his 26 points in the first quarter as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to six games with a 114-99 victory over the host Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

George and Leonard were playing together in a road game for the first time, and they were on the court as teammates for just the fourth time overall.

Luka Doncic had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Kristaps Porzingis added 15 points and 10 boards for the Mavericks, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. Dallas lost a home game for the first time since Nov. 8.

The Clippers' defense, led by guard Patrick Beverley, clamped down on Doncic, who entered averaging 30.6 points per game, third best in the NBA. The Mavericks were also the second-best scoring team in the NBA at 119.1 points per game.

George shot 5 of 9 from the field and 4 of 6 from 3-point range in the first quarter. The Clippers went 7 of 11 (63.6 percent) from beyond the arc in the opening 12 minutes but hit just 39.3 percent from the field overall during the quarter.

The fast start helped the Clippers to a 62-46 halftime lead, with the Mavericks shooting just 31.4 percent from the field in the opening two quarters. They finished at 38 percent in the game while the Clippers converted 42.3 percent.

Doncic had 15 first-half points but was just 2 of 9 from the field and 0 of 5 from 3-point range, though he did go 11 of 11 from the free-throw line.

Seth Curry finished the night with 13 points for Dallas, and J.J. Barea added 12 points in just his third game of the season.

The Clippers built their advantage to as many as 22 in the third quarter when they shot 54.5 percent from the field, and they led 93-77 at the start of the fourth.

Lou Williams had 21 off the Los Angeles bench, and Montrezl Harrell added 12 as the Clippers won at Dallas for the first time since November 2016.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA fines Clippers $50K over Kawhi-related comments

The NBA fined the Los Angeles Clippers $50,000 on Thursday for comments made about Kawhi Leonard and his injury status.

On Wednesday, the league said it accepted the Clippers plan to sit Leonard, who was listed on the injury report with an ailing knee, in the first of back-to-back games. He did not play in a 129-124 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks - a game that was nationally televised by ESPN.

But a remark later made by coach Doc Rivers caught the attention of the NBA.

"I think Kawhi made a statement that he's never felt better. It's our job to make sure he stays that way. That's important. But he played a lot of minutes in the playoffs last year," Rivers said. "So, it's not, uh, a health thing really. It is in some ways. We want him to just keep feeling better and getting better."

In a statement announcing the fine on Thursday, the league said it continued to believe that Leonard has an injury but questioned Rivers' remarks.

"Following additional review of the LA Clippers not playing Kawhi Leonard in last night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA has confirmed that the team's decision to sit Leonard for management of an injury was consistent with league rules," the statement read. "The team has reasonably determined that Leonard is suffering from an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee and has been placed by the team at this time on an injury protocol for back-to-back games.

"The NBA has fined the Clippers $50,000 for statements, including by head coach Doc Rivers, that were inconsistent with Leonard's health status."

The Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night on TNT, and Leonard is expected to play. The forward, who signed as a free agent with the Clippers in the offseason, has yet to play both games of a back-to-back this season and last played in a set in April 2017, when he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs.

Leonard played in just nine games for the Spurs in 2017-18 due to a quadriceps injury and played in just 60 of 82 regular-season games for the Toronto Raptors last season.

--Field Level Media

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Leonard shines against former team in Clippers win

Kawhi Leonard delivered 38 points, Montrezl Harrell chipped in 24 and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated San Antonio 103-97 on Thursday to knock the Spurs off their undefeated perch.

Leonard, who did not dress for Wednesday's game at Utah so he could rest, also grabbed 12 rebounds for his first double-double this season.

"I have the heart of a champion and I just tried to stay focused," said Leonard, who played seven seasons with the Spurs from 2011 to 2018.

Leonard has now scored 30 or more points in three of his first five games with the Clippers, who he signed with as a free agent during the offseason.

DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points and Derrick White added 20 for the Spurs, who suffered their first loss of the young season dropping to 3-1.

After so much time with the Spurs, Leonard's relationship with the team eventually deteriorated. He was traded in July 2018 to the Toronto Raptors in a deal that sent DeRozan to Texas.

Leonard went on to lead the Raptors to their first NBA title last season in a six-game victory against the defending champion Golden State Warriors. But the title wasn't enough to keep Leonard in Toronto.

The Spurs were eliminated in the first round last year by the Denver Nuggets.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said Leonard didn't develop into one of the best players in the league by accident. He is one of the hardest working players on and off the court in the NBA.

"From where he started from to where he is at now is amazing," said Rivers of Leonard who had 25 points in the second half. "Every young player who has a chance to see the work, should understand you don't get better without the work."

Los Angeles seized control of the contest with a 9-1 run to take a 64-55 lead with 6:55 remaining in the third quarter.

Leonard scored five of his 10 third-quarter points during the rally, including stealing the ball off DeRozan and going in for a dunk.

San Antonio got within five at the end of the third quarter before the Clippers scored 11 of the first 13 points in the fourth quarter. San Antonio clawed their way back to make it 97-93 late in the fourth but the Clippers held on for the win.

- Best rookie start -
Elsewhere, undrafted guard Kendrick Nunn scored a career-high 28 points to power the Miami Heat to a 106-97 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Nunn has exploded on the scene as an NBA rookie and is now the all-time leader for most points through the first five games for an undrafted player in league history with 112 points.

Connie Hawkins of the Phoenix Suns scored 105 points in his first five games of the 1969-70 season.

"It's surreal a little bit... All I needed was the opportunity," said Nunn, who scored 14 points in the third quarter. 

Nunn has scored at least 24 points three times in Miami's first five games, including a 24 point performance against Memphis in his opening game on October 23.

Also, Jahlil Okafor scored 26 points, Brandon Ingram dropped in 25 and the host New Orleans Pelicans beat the Denver Nuggets 122-107 for their first victory in five games.

gph/rbu

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Leonard scores 30 as Clippers handle Lakers in season opener

Kawhi Leonard scored 30 points, leading the host Los Angeles Clippers to a 112-102 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the season-opener on Tuesday night at the Staples Center.

Lou Williams added 21 points and Montrezl Harrell delivered 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Clippers. They helped the Clippers' bench outscore the Lakers' reserves, 60-19.

Danny Green led the Lakers with 28 points by hitting 10 of his 14 field-goal attempts, including 7 of 9 on 3-pointers. Anthony Davis scored 25 points and 10 pulled down boards, while LeBron James had 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

A 19-7 run to open the fourth helped the Clippers clinch the win and hold off the Lakers down the stretch.

The Clippers, sparked by an 11-1 run midway through the second quarter, led 62-54 at the break behind Leonard's 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Williams added 13 first-half points as the Clippers outscored the Lakers, 40-29, in the second quarter.

Davis scored 18 points and James had 14 in the first half. The Clippers converted 56.1 percent of their shots from the floor compared to 47.4 percent for the Lakers. Overall, the Clippers outshot the Lakers 51.9 percent to 43.5 percent.

In the third, the Clippers increased the lead to 70-56 after a 3-pointer by Patrick Patterson at 9:56. But the Lakers answered with a 10-2 surge to pull to within six after a dunk by James less than three minutes later.

A 15-0 run gave the Lakers an 85-82 advantage after a 3-pointer by Danny Green, who scored 18 points in the third. JaMychal Green's trey tied the score heading into the fourth.

The Lakers roared to a 13-2 lead after a bucket by Davis less than four minutes into the game. However, the Clippers rallied, cutting the deficit to 25-22 at the end of the quarter.

Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo missed the contest with a sore calf.

The two clubs won't meet again until Christmas Day.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George to sign with Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off two major acquisitions late Friday night, as ESPN and The Athletic reported that free agent forward Kawhi Leonard will sign with the team, which also acquired forward Paul George in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that Leonard received a four-year, $142 million maximum contract.

In order to acquire George, the Clippers will send guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Danilo Gallinari to Oklahoma City. The Thunder also will receive four unprotected first-round draft picks, one protected first-round pick and two draft-pick swaps, according to the ESPN report.

Leonard, who led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship after he was acquired in a trade from the San Antonio Spurs last July, reportedly selected the Clippers over the Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers.

Leonard, a 28-year-old Southern California native, averaged 26.6 points and 7.3 rebounds over 60 regular-season games with the Raptors in 2018-19. He then improved on that over 24 playoff games averaging 30.5 points with 9.1 rebounds.

In the NBA Finals, Leonard scored 28.5 points per game with 9.8 rebounds as Toronto defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games.

The three-time All-Star, who was drafted 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2011, has averaged 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds over 467 games (440 starts) with the San Antonio Spurs and the Raptors.

George, a 29-year-old who makes his offseason home in the Los Angeles area, averaged 28 points per game with 8.2 rebounds for the Thunder last season. In nine NBA seasons, George has averaged 19.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 604 games (556 starts) with the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City.

The six-time All-Star played just six games in the 2014-15 season because of a serious leg injury. He reportedly requested a trade from the Thunder after Leonard had reached his deal with the Clippers, the ESPN report indicated.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who turns 21 next week, was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 draft. As a rookie for the Clippers last season, he averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists.

Gallinari, 30, put up career bests of 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Clippers last season.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Warriors dispatch Clippers for 3-1 series lead

Kevin Durant scored 33 points and the visiting Golden State Warriors held on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 113-105 in Game 4 of a Western Conference first-round series on Sunday afternoon.

After winning both games in Los Angeles, the Warriors own a 3-1 series lead heading to Game 5 on Wednesday night in Oakland, Calif.

Klay Thompson scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half for the Warriors. Stephen Curry went 3-for-14, including 1-for-9 from 3-point range, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 25 points for the Clippers.

Danilo Gallinari scored 16 after a scoreless first quarter, Patrick Beverley had 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, and Lou Williams scored 12 off the bench for Los Angeles.

The Warriors received strong contributions off the bench from Andre Iguodala, Alfonzo McKinnie and Shaun Livingston in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, helping expand a three-point lead to 100-91 with 7:05 left in the game.

Curry checked back in with 5:50 remaining and Golden State leading by six points, and the Clippers never got any closer.

The Clippers had taken their biggest lead of the series at 82-77 on a fast-break dunk by Montrezl Harrell with 3:57 left in the third quarter, but the Warriors outscored Los Angeles 10-2 the remainder of the quarter to take an 87-84 lead into the fourth.

Curry made his first basket of the game on a driving layup to stretch the lead to 46-40 with 5:59 left in the first half. The Warriors stretched the lead back to 10 on two occasions in the second quarter before Durant's four-point play with 2.5 seconds left in the half made it 62-54 at the break.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 14 of the first 20 points for the Clippers, and Thompson made his first seven field-goal attempts and scored 17 of the first 28 points for Golden State.

The Warriors scored the final 12 points of the first quarter to take a 32-22 lead into the second.

Golden State has led by at least eight points after the first quarter in every game of the series.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Warriors open title defense by handling Clippers

Stephen Curry complemented a game-high 38 points with a career playoff-high 15 rebounds in a historic performance Saturday night as the Golden State Warriors opened defense of their NBA title with a 121-104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in a volatile Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series in Oakland, Calif.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night, with the Warriors, the top seed in the West, once again earning home-court advantage.

The matchup of familiar Pacific Division rivals featured the ejections of the Warriors' Kevin Durant and Clippers' Patrick Beverley, each of whom was nailed with a second technical foul for a verbal altercation near midcourt midway through the fourth quarter.

Curry's 38 points included 8-for-12 shooting on 3-pointers on a night when he passed Ray Allen (385) for the NBA all-time career playoff record. Curry finished the game with 386 career 3s.

Draymond Green provided a surprising offensive spark with 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting to go with seven rebounds and a team high-tying seven assists, helping Golden State win the opener of its first-round series for the sixth consecutive season.

Montrezl Harrell had 26 points and Lou Williams 25 with a game-high nine assists for the Clippers, who are the last Western Conference team to beat the Warriors in a playoff series.

That was in 2014, when they also lost Game 1 before winning four of the last six.

The Warriors led nearly wire-to-wire, but the Clippers remained competitive most of the way by taking advantage of 21 Golden State turnovers and enjoying a 65-22 advantage in points off the bench.

Curry's 38-point game was his 31st in postseason play with 30 or more. The Warriors have gone 28-3 in those games.

His previous high for rebounds in a playoff game was 10, done four times.

Durant contributed 23 points and three blocked shots in 32 minutes, while Klay Thompson added 12 points and DeMarcus Cousins, playing in his first NBA playoff game, collected nine points and nine rebounds before fouling out.

The Warriors shot 49.5 percent for the game and hit 14 of 30 3-point attempts.

Harrell's 26 points came on 11-for-15 shooting and Williams hit 11-for-21 for the Clippers, who shot 40.4 percent overall and 11-for-30 on 3s.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Clippers take care of skidding Lakers

Danilo Gallinari scored 23 points, and the visiting Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-105 on Monday night for their third consecutive victory.

Lou Williams scored 21 points off the bench, and Montrezl Harrell added 14 points and 11 rebounds in a reserve role for the Clippers, who moved back into sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference, a half-game behind the Utah Jazz and a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also scored 14 points, and Patrick Beverley added 13 points, nine rebounds and five steals for the Clippers. Landry Shamet had 12 points.

Rajon Rondo scored a season-high 24 points to go with 10 rebounds and 12 assists for his first triple-double with the Lakers. LeBron James finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Josh Hart scored 17 off the bench.

Brandon Ingram, third on the Lakers in scoring at 18.3 points, missed the game because of a sore right shoulder. Second-leading scorer Kyle Kuzma (18.9 points per game) scored 13 before leaving midway through the fourth quarter due to an injured right ankle.

The 10th-place Lakers, who have lost five of their past six, are 5 1/2 games behind the final Western Conference playoff spot.

The Lakers took an 82-79 lead on a three-point play by Hart with 2:55 left in the third quarter, but the Clippers came back with a 10-0 run to take their biggest lead to that point at 89-82 with 40.6 seconds left in the third.

Lakers guard Reggie Bullock sank a long step-back jumper at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 91-85 entering the fourth, but the Clippers scored the first four points of the fourth to take their first double-digit lead.

The Lakers got as close as five with 7:57 left, but the Clippers scored the next eight points during a run in which Kuzma was also injured.

The Lakers led by as many as 10 late in the first quarter. After the Clippers caught up, the Lakers retook the lead 42-41 on a dunk Harrell with 6:49 left in the first half.

The Clippers stretched their second-quarter lead to as many as six points before scoring the final four points of the first half to take a 61-57 edge into the break.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Curry's last-second basket caps 42-point night, clips Clippers

Stephen Curry scored on a drive with .5 seconds left to lift the Golden State Warriors to a 129-127 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Curry finished with 42 points, Kevin Durant had 35 points and 12 rebounds, and Draymond Green contributed 14 points, six assists and five steals for the Warriors.

Tobias Harris had 32 points and nine rebounds, and Danilo Gallinari finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who shot 18 of 23 from 3-point range.

The Warriors took a nine-point lead, their biggest of the game, into the fourth quarter but watched the Clippers score the first eight points of the period. Los Angeles would eventually take a 117-116 lead on a bank shot by Montrezl Harrell with 4:26 left.

The Warriors scored the next nine points, however.

Curry's four-point play gave Golden State a 122-117 lead with 3:32 remaining, and Durant sank a 3-pointer on the next possession to make it 125-117.

The Clippers cut the deficit to 127-125 on a 3-pointer by Avery Bradley with 40.6 seconds left, and then tied the score on Bradley's dunk off an offensive rebound with 19.6 seconds left.

The Clippers had a foul to give, but did not use it as Curry drove into the lane for the winning basket.

After making a franchise-record 13 3-pointers in the first half and leading by as many as 11, the Clippers watched their lead dissolve late in the second quarter and into the third.

Golden State tied the score three times in the third before Curry gave the Warriors an 88-86 lead on two free throws with 4:02 left in the period.

Durant's 3-pointer with 1:52 left in the third extended the lead to 95-89 and his four-point play with 32 seconds remaining in the quarter made it 101-94.

The score was tied 36-36 entering the second quarter and was again tied, at 41-41, when Curry and Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley were called for technical fouls with 9:31 left in the first half.

Golden State took its biggest lead of the first half at 24-19 on a 3-pointer by Klay Thompson with 4:45 left in the first quarter, but the Clippers responded with a 10-2 run to take a 29-26 advantage.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

George's hot hand lifts Thunder over Clippers

Paul George had yet another big game, scoring 33 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped a two-game losing streak with a 110-104 win over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

George has scored 30 or more points in four of his last six games and is shooting 57 percent from the floor over the last four games after going 11 of 19 from the field Saturday.

Though the Thunder led for much of the night, never trailing after the midpoint of the second quarter, the Clippers stayed in the game with strong outside shooting.

Los Angeles hit 13 3-pointers, including four by Danilo Gallinari, who led the Clippers with 28 points.

Two other Clippers -- Tobias Harris (22) and Montrezl Harrell (21) - were their other top scorers.

Oklahoma City led by 17 points after three quarters but the Clippers cut the deficit to six with a little more than a minute to go.

The Thunder grabbed control of the game on the defensive end, forcing the Clippers into a season-high 26 turnovers. The mark was also a season high for an Oklahoma City opponent. The Thunder turned those turnovers into 22 points, while the Clippers forced just 11 Oklahoma City turnovers, turning them into 10 points.

Oklahoma City also dominated in the paint, outscoring the Clippers 54-30, though the margin was even bigger until Los Angeles' closing run.

The Thunder built its 11-point first-half lead without much scoring help from star point guard Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook missed his first seven shots, not connecting from the floor until 2:07 remained in the first half. But Oklahoma City was able to build a lead thanks to the play of George.

Westbrook made a big impact in the second half, though his struggles from the floor remained. He finished with 13 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds and six steals.

Jerami Grant added 18 points for the Thunder while Steven Adams added 16.

The Clippers have lost five of their last six games after winning 10 of the previous 12 games before that.

Oklahoma City is now 3-1 on the back end of back-to-back games.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Clippers win in OT as Suns drop 9th straight

Tobias Harris had 33 points and eight rebounds, and the visiting Los Angeles Clippers ended a two-game losing streak with a 123-119 win over Phoenix Suns on Monday.

Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 16 for the Clippers.

Deandre Ayton contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Richaun Holmes (19), Mikal Bridges (19) and Josh Jackson (18) all scored their season highs for the Suns, who have lost nine straight.

Phoenix never led in overtime. Troy Daniels tied the game 119-119 with 51.3 seconds left on a reverse layup, but Patrick Beverley made two free throws with 33.3 seconds left and Avery Bradley sank two more with 1.6 seconds remaining for the final margin.

Phoenix's De'Anthony Melton made a step-back 9-footer from the baseline to tie the score at 111-111 with 5.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Gallinari then missed a long, heavily contested try at the buzzer.

The Clippers took an 88-86 lead into the fourth quarter, the same two-point advantage they brought into halftime. 

However, the Suns bridged an 11-3 run from the third quarter and into the fourth to take a 95-91 lead with 9:26 left, their biggest margin since early in the second quarter.

Phoenix went up 104-95 on a basket by Holmes with 7:09 remaining, but that would be the last field goal until Bridges made a 3-pointer with 1:16 left to end a 12-0 run by Los Angeles and pull the Suns within 109-108.

The only time the Suns led in the third quarter was when Holmes made two free throws with 1:07 lead for an 84-83 advantage, but Milos Teodosic sank an 18-foot jumper on the other end to put the Clippers back ahead.

The Clippers didn't hold a lead until Beverley scored with 7:59 left in the first half for a 37-35 advantage.

Suns leading scorer Devin Booker (23.5 points per game) missed his fourth consecutive game due to a hamstring injury. Second-leading scorer T.J. Warren (17.7 ppg) returned under restricted minutes after missing the previous five games with an ankle injury. He scored six points in 12 minutes.

Lou Williams, the third-leading scorer for the Clippers (17.6 ppg), left midway through the second quarter with a sore left hamstring and did not return. He scored seven points in 12 minutes off the bench.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Clippers put 9 in double figures, rout Wizards

Tobias Harris had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Lou Williams scored 17 off the bench, and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the visiting Washington Wizards 136-104 on Sunday night.

Avery Bradley chipped 15 points, and Montrezl Harrell and Boban Marjanovic contributed 13 each for the Clippers, who had nine men in double figures and never trailed.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 20 points, and John Wall had 18.

The Clippers led by 15 at halftime and by 17 early in the third quarter before Beal capped a mini-Wizards run with a 3-pointer that got Washington within 81-71.

Los Angeles responded with 16-0 run led by three 3-pointers from Patrick Beverly and five points from Danilo Gallinari. The Clippers led by 20 points after three quarters.

Washington converted just 5 of 27 (18.5 percent) from 3-point range while the Clippers made 16 of 29 (55.2 percent).

The Clippers have won four of their past five, while the Wizards fell to 1-3 on a five-game road trip that ends Tuesday at Memphis.

Los Angeles was without forward Luc Mbah a Moute (sore left knee) while Washington center Dwight Howard (lower back soreness) has yet to play this season.

Wizards forward Markieff Morris left the game after taking an elbow to the face in the second quarter and did not return due to concussion symptoms.

The game marked the return to Los Angeles of guard Austin Rivers -- son of Clippers coach Doc Rivers -- who was dealt to Washington on June 26 in exchange for center Marcin Gortat. Rivers finished with nine points and three assists in 22 minutes. Gortat had four points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander swished a running half-court 3-pointer as the first quarter ended, and Harrell's layup capped a 17-4 run and gave the Clippers their largest lead of the first half, 42-24, with 9:24 left in the second quarter.

The Clippers led 69-54 at intermission.

source: news.abs-cbn.com