CRAWFORD'S BARRAGE LIFTS CLIPPERS
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 110
LOS ANGELES
CLIPPERS 123
Jamal Crawford drained seven of the Los Angeles Clippers' 16 three-pointers yesterday morning (Singapore time), as the Clippers wrapped up a three-game NBA road trip with a 123-110 NBA victory over New Orleans Pelicans.
One day after they knocked off the Western Conference-leading Thunder in Oklahoma City, the Clippers showed no signs of a letdown against the Pelicans.
Crawford scored 24 points, Blake Griffin added 22 and Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan both notched double-doubles - Paul contributing 19 points and 13 assists and Jordan scoring 14 points and pulling down 16 rebounds.
Anthony Davis led New Orleans with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but was hit with a costly technical foul late in New Orleans' fourth-straight defeat.
Los Angeles connected on six three-pointers in the second quarter as they stretched their lead to 61-53 at half-time. Crawford added two more from beyond the arc early in the third period and Griffin's 9-0 scoring run stretched the Clippers' lead to 76-58 just four minutes into the quarter.
FLAWLESS
New Orleans trimmed the deficit to 10 points with 7:39 left to play when Jeff Withey put back a Tyreke Evans miss.
But Crawford answered with a three-pointer, and three free-throws from Paul, after Davis' foul and subsequent technical gave the Clippers a comfortable 111-95 lead.
"I thought when we started out the game, the execution was close to flawless. We were getting dunks," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said.
"Then we started making threes and, when you make threes, it opens the middle back up.
"Overall, five starters in double figures and the ball movement on our team was just terrific. When you play that unselfish with many good players, a lot of good things are going to happen."
Earlier, the Clippers confirmed they had inked seven-year veteran forward Glen Davis, who became a free agent after he was bought out of his contract by Orlando Magic.
Rivers said Davis would undergo a required physical exam today, but he is expected to be available for his new team when they host the Houston Rockets tomorrow. - AFP.
OTHER RESULTS
l Detroit Pistons 96 Golden State Warriors 104
l New York Knicks 108 Dallas Mavericks 110
l Utah Jazz 110 Boston Celtics 98
l Philadelphia 76ers 110 Milwaukee Bucks 130
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