Griffin Scores 21 Points In Loss To Trailblazers, 99-89

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 18 of his 21 points in the first half and Chris Kaman scored all 13 of his points in the first half as the Portland Trail Blazers concluded their preseason Friday with a 99-89 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Lillard scored seven points in Portland's 17-4 first-period run that gave the Trailblazers a 25-16 lead with 3:08 left. He also scored his team's final seven points of the first half for a 54-46 halftime lead for the Trail Blazers (4-3).

Meyers Leonard scored nine of Portland's first 12 points in the second quarter to get out to a 40-30 lead with 6:29 left in the first half. He finished with 14 points. Wesley Matthews scored eight of his 10 in the third quarter, and Joel Freeland scored 10 points off the bench.

Blake Griffin scored 21 points in three quarters, including 17 in the first half, for Los Angeles (2-6). The Clippers held an opponent to less than 100 points for the first time this preseason. Griffin scored his team's last nine points in the first quarter to cut the Trail Blazer lead to 27-21.

The Clippers bench, led by Jared Cunningham's 10 points in the fourth quarter, cut a double-digit deficit to 89-86 with about two minutes to play. A C.J. Wilcox basket made it 93-89 with 1:08 to play, but Portland's Will Barton answered with 43.8 seconds to play. CJ McCollum made two free throws with 28.1 seconds to play, then stole the ball and dunked for a 10-point lead.

J.J. Redick added 14 points, Chris Paul had eight points and 11 assists, and DeAndre Jordan had nine rebounds for the Clippers.

TIP-INS: 

Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge didn't play (coach's decision) to rest his groin.

Clippers: Coach Doc Rivers held out Jamal Crawford to rest his hamstring. Glen Davis also didn't play (groin). Redick and Jordan received first-half technical fouls. The bench received one in the second half.

UP NEXT

Portland opens the regular season Wednesday at Oklahoma City.

Clippers open the regular season Thursday at home against Oklahoma City.

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