Paul Drops 25 As Clippers Win Eighth Straight Game
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul had 25 points and seven assists and the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to eight games with a 97-83 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
Center DeAndre Jordan, making a push for his first career All-Star selection, had 19 rebounds. It was the 11th straight game in double digits for the franchise's career rebounding leader. He led the NBA in rebounding the previous two seasons.
J.J. Redick added 17 points for the Clippers. The winning streak is their fourth of eight or more games in the past four seasons. They had an 11-game run in 2013-14, a nine-game stretch last season, and won a franchise-record 17 straight in 2012-13 — including a 16-0 December.
Jeremy Lin made his sixth start of the season and scored 26 points for the Hornets. They have lost a season-worst six in a row and seven straight on the road. Shooting guard Nicolas Batum missed his fourth straight game because of a sprained toe on his right foot.
Kemba Walker, the Hornets' leading scorer this season, had 11 points on 4-for-16 shooting after averaging 26.6 over his previous seven games.
Paul's 19-footer capped a 13-1 run that turned a three-point Clippers deficit into a 58-49 lead with 6:02 left in the third quarter. They led by six entering the fourth and made it 86-75 on Redick's 19-footer from the left of the key. The Hornets got no closer than nine after that.
The Clippers, who came in having drawn a league-high 23.6 fouls per game, didn't get to the line until Luc Mbah a Moute was hacked by Cody Zeller 49 seconds into the third quarter and converted both foul shots.
Redick made his first three shots from 3-point range and scored 11 points to help Los Angeles build a 27-18 lead through one quarter in the opener of a five-game homestand. But Charlotte pulled ahead 46-43 by halftime with 12 second-quarter points by reserve guard Jeremy Lamb.
The Hornets' losing streak began with a 122-117 home loss to the Clippers, who have won 10 of the last 11 meetings. They are 7-12 since signing coach Steve Clifford to a three-year contract extension on Dec. 2.
TIP-INS
Hornets: F Spencer Hawes, who spent last season with the Clippers and was traded along with Matt Barnes for F Lance Stephenson in June, had seven points in 14 minutes. ... The Hornets, who came in averaging 38.5 points off the bench, finished with 31 from their reserves. ... Seven-foot C Frank Kaminsky, the ninth overall pick in the draft, scored 20 points the last time the teams met. He had four in the rematch. ... The Hornets had 16 turnovers. They entered Saturday averaging a league-low 12.7, after finishing last season with the fewest in the league.
Clippers: The Clippers are 7-0 since leading scorer and five-time All-Star Blake Griffin went out of the lineup with a partially torn tendon in his left quad. Overall, they are 19-8 when he has sat out due to injury or suspension, including a 9-6 mark last season. Griffin isn't expected to see a doctor until next week. ... Jordan closed out last season with a career-best double-digit rebound streak of 31 games, and had a 24-game streak in 2013-14. Jordan entered Saturday with a .league-best 73.1 field goal percentage. The highest percentage in NBA history at the end of a season is 72.7, by the Lakers' Wilt Chamberlain in 1972-73.
UP NEXT
Hornets: At Denver on Sunday.
Clippers: Host New Orleans on Sunday.