Rowan Kavner
LOS ANGELES – DeAndre Jordan pulled in a season-high 23 rebounds Wednesday night. As head coach Doc Rivers put it, the Clippers needed every single one.
Jordan dominated the glass and added 15 points, while Blake Griffin finished with 31 points and 16 rebounds to help the Clippers (18-7) escape with a 102-100 victory against the Pacers (8-18), as C.J. Miles’ off-balance, buzzer-beating 3-point attempt fell short.
“It’s too early to start campaigning for Defensive Player of the Year, but my gosh, what (Jordan)’s doing every night is unbelievable,” Rivers said. “He does it every night.”
It wasn’t the easiest or prettiest win of the year for the Clippers, but Rivers said the Clippers just need to find a way to win during the “dog days of the NBA.” He told his players that much when the game wasn’t unfolding the way the Clippers had hoped.
“You try to grind games out, try to stay healthy,” Rivers said. “You’ve just got to grind them out. But it’s the greatest time to grow. I really believe that. When you’re grinding, you kind of find things.”
The Pacers entered the game second in the league in rebounding, but the Clippers’ big men outdueled the Pacers’ counterparts, helping the Clippers to a 51-43 advantage on the glass. The Clippers played more physically down the stretch, getting to the line 45 times in the game. While they only went 62.2 percent at the line, their 28 made free throws played a major role in the outcome.
Two of those free throws came from Jordan late in the fourth quarter to give the Clippers a 94-93 lead, their first since holding an 81-80 lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Jordan only went 7-of-15 on his free throws, but those two were clutch.
“All of them were straight, they were just long or short,” Jordan said. “Going to the line, I was confident.”
The free throws helped. So did the nearly four-minute stretch the Clippers held the Pacers scoreless in the fourth quarter, allowing the Clippers to turn a 93-88 deficit into a 97-93 lead before Rodney Stuckey hit a jumper with 1:47 remaining.
Despite filling the stat sheet, Griffin looked somewhat dejected after the game because of some missed shots and free throws down the stretch and needing to edge out the Pacers late. But he was pleased with the result.
“Being in that situation in the first place is a little concerning,” Griffin said. “But when it’s time to really bear down and get stops, we did that, so that’s encouraging.”
The Pacers started the fourth quarter on a 17-5 run to take a six-point advantage when the Clippers came fighting back to take a 99-95 advantage. But the Pacers weren’t finished, as they cut the deficit to two points with two seconds remaining and had a chance to win it on a last-second heave.
The Clippers didn’t want the ending to be that eventful, but they eventually rode their big men to victory. Jordan played 44 minutes in the win, finishing one rebound short of tying his career-high.
“I’m just happy I had more than Blake,” Jordan joked.
NOTES:
- Four of the five Clippers starters scored at least 15 points apiece…The Clippers and Pacers both pulled in 14 offensive rebounds apiece… The Clippers won despite shooting 33 percent from 3-point range…The Clippers leave tomorrow for Friday’s game in Denver
- Chris Paul donned an “I Can’t Breathe” shirt in the postgame presser, a gesture many have made in the NBA community in response to the death of New York native Eric Garner. “We all have a platform,” Paul said. “Some people choose to use it in different ways, but people do pay attention. I have kids of my own who I’m trying to teach.”
Photos: Clippers vs. Pacers | 12/17/14 →
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