LOS ANGELES –- The exhausted Clippers overcame the NBA’s bizarre schedule and survived at Staples Center against the Milwaukee Bucks 106-102 to extend their home winning streak to seven games.
Blake Griffin tipped in Chris Paul's missed jumper with five seconds left in the game to give the Clippers a four-point lead and seal the victory.
Los Angeles' compacted schedule has been draining on the players during the holiday season. The Clippers find themselves in a stretch where they will play six games in nine days, two sets of three games in four days, three back-to-backs, including last night’s lack of oxygen loss to the Denver Nuggets. In all they will travel to four different states in four different time zones finishing with a Christmas Day home game against the NBA’s best team the Golden State Warriors.
The Bucks were attempting to sweep the season series with the Los Angeles Clippers for the first time in 15 years, after defeating Los Angeles 111-106 last Saturday in Milwaukee. The teams split the season series 1-1.
“They beat us in Milwaukee and they have played well on this trip, so I absolutely expected it to be a tough game, and it was,” said Clippers guard J.J. Redick after the game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists the Milwaukee bench thoroughly scorched the Clippers bench 59 to 23.
“Their bench played a lot of minutes. When your bench players play more minutes than the starters, they are going to score more than the starters,” said Clippers head coach, Doc Rivers. “I think the bench players played more than their starters. Their bench was good and they played 10 guys.”
“We have one of the best benches in the league,” said Milwaukee Bucks forward Jared Dudley. “It’s not a secret now. We play selfless, we play the right way, if they are open they shoot it, if they are not they move the ball.”
In the previous game between the two teams, the Bucks were able to contain Blake Griffin and Chris Paul as each player scored only ten points apiece. Not so, in tonight’s matchup as Griffin finished the game with 24 points and eight assists and Paul finished with 27 points and nine assists.
J.J. Redick continued his hot steak scoring 23 points with 5 three-pointers. The Clippers as a team went 12-26 for 46.2 percent beyond the arc compared to the Bucks 33.3 percent significantly lower than the 56.2 percent they had been shooting from downtown in their previous two games.
Paul scored nine of his 27 points in the final 4:04 of the game and was absolutely dominant down the stretch for the Clippers.
“I tried to will us there,” said Paul about the final four minutes. “Lately in some game I have been a little passive and I need to try and keep my foot on the gas and be aggressive.”
Game Notes:
Los Angeles Clippers center, Spencer Hawes, did not play again tonight. He was seen jogging and shooting in pre-game warmups. Milwaukee Bucks rookie of the year candidate, Jabari Parker, who played well last Saturday against the Clippers, is out for the season after tearing his ACL in his right knee. Boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather and new San Diego Padres outfielder, Matt Kemp, caught the game courtside.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
