Clippers Hang On To Beat Heat For Fourth Straight Victory, 102-98
MIAMI (AP) — Blake Griffin scored 20 points, Chris Paul and J.J. Redick each added 17 and the Los Angeles Clippers held on to beat the Miami Heat 102-98 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive win.
DeAndre Jordan had an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and scored the clinching basket with 7.7 seconds left for the Clippers, finishing off his 12-point, 19-rebound night.
Goran Dragic had 21 points and 11 assists, Justise Winslow scored 15 and Wayne Ellington added 13 points before leaving injured for Miami. Hassan Whiteside had 11 points and 17 rebounds for the Heat.
The Clippers led by 16 in the first half. Miami got within six before Los Angeles went up 16 again in the third quarter — then had to hang on.
A three-point play by Josh Richardson with 13.2 seconds left got Miami within three, and the Heat forced a turnover on the Clippers' ensuing inbounds pass. The Clippers didn't want to give up a 3 and fouled Dragic, who made both to make it 99-98.
Paul went to the line, made the first, missed the second, and Jordan then scored to put the game away.
And that was a fitting end to a game with quite the subplot. It came a day after Whiteside made a comment about Jordan's offensive game — "I do a lot, he just catches lobs" — that the Clippers' center didn't appreciate.
On Friday, Whiteside clarified.
"I was just saying on the offensive end, our roles were different," he said.
Whiteside took 12 shots, Jordan seven. But one of his makes, maybe fittingly, was a dunk off a lob.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Los Angeles had 60 points in the first half, 42 in the second. ... It was Paul's 800th regular-season game. No one in NBA history had as many points, assists and steals through 800 games, and only John Stockton, Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson had more assists at this point in their careers. ... Luc Mbah a Moute (shoulder) missed his second consecutive game.
Heat: Tyler Johnson (illness) did not play. ... Ellington left in the third quarter with a right hamstring strain. ... Miami made 10 of its first 17 shots, then four of its next 17. ... The Heat have held opponents to 1-for-25 shooting from 3-point range in the fourth quarter of their last six games.
SAGER TRIBUTE
The Heat had a pregame tribute video and moment of silence to honor the life of broadcaster Craig Sager, who died this week after a long fight with leukemia.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers was a business partner of Sager's for about nine years in a sports bar called "Jocks & Jills."
"I didn't get any profits — I think Craig enjoyed himself quite a bit," Rivers said, adding that Sager was "the most unselfish guy that I have ever been around."
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called Sager "a pillar of greatness and character."
PIERCE IN MIAMI
Paul Pierce didn't get in for the Clippers on Friday, meaning he's probably played for the last time in Miami. He has more regular-season points (1,205) against Miami than anyone in history, and no one has more than his 79 combined regular-season and playoff appearances against the Heat. Pierce has said he will retire after this season.
UP NEXT
Clippers: Visit Washington on Sunday, their last road game against an East team until Jan. 23.
Heat: Host Boston on Sunday, the second and final time the Celtics visit this season.
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