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Los Angeles Clippers win sixth straight game

Posted By HOOPSWORLD On December 9, 2012 @ 9:00 pm In All,Wirenews | Comments Disabled

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers were lacking energy through three quarters. Their backups came in and changed the game again.

Jamal Crawford led a fourth-quarter rally by the reserves with 16 points and the Clippers defeated Toronto 102-83 on Sunday to win their sixth in a row while handing the Raptors their 10th consecutive road loss.

The backups gave Los Angeles its first double-digit lead of the game after Toronto kept it close through the first three periods before dropping its fourth straight and 10th in its last 11. The Raptors have just four wins this season.

Eric Bledsoe added 14 points on his 23rd birthday to help the Clippers’ reserves outscore their counterparts 47-24.

Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 19 points. Chris Paul added 16 points and DeAndre Jordan had 10 rebounds. Caron Butler was the only starter to play in the fourth, coming in only after Matt Barnes was ejected with 1:36 to play.

Los Angeles’ reserves dominated the final period for the third straight game, turning Griffin and Paul into cheerleaders.

”As long as I’ve been in the league, through 20 games I’ve never played this least amount of minutes,” Paul said. ”I should have no arguments about being tired. I’m also enjoying cheering on guys out there playing. We like to see each other succeed.”

Each one of the 10 Clippers who played had at least one basket, including Ronny Turiaf, who had six points and roared after one dunk.

”With two or three minutes to go, he was out there dancing and then went and got a rebound and a dunk. It keeps everybody loose,” Griffin said. ”To be able to sit the whole fourth quarter is something I’ve never experienced.”

Crawford’s streak of consecutive free throws ended at 58 when he missed two late in the second quarter for his first errant foul shots since Nov. 3.

Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points in his hometown. Linas Kleiza, who started in place of injured Mickael Pietrus, added 17 points, including five 3-pointers. Amir Johnson had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

”It came out of nowhere,” DeRozan said of the Clippers’ surge. … [For more on Los Angeles Clippers win sixth straight game, click here.]


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