After a treacherous schedule to start November, Paul Pierce and the Los Angeles Clippers entered the winter months with five wins in seven games.
Paul is one of a host of new players joining the rotation in Los Angeles, and Doc Rivers is still hammering out how The Truth and Co. will fit into the mix, while also dealing with some minor injuries.
Through the transitional opening month of the season, Paul has struggled a bit to find an offensive rhythm. The Truth logged 18 minutes in his squad’s 111-94 win over the Denver Nuggets to start that stretch. That victory came on the road, though No. 34 was 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Another key veteran off the bench, knockdown shooter Jamal Crawford, has also been in search of his stroke early in the year. However, the Clips certainly aren’t losing faith in their veteran strikers. The team’s leading scorer, Blake Griffin, has been giving Paul and Jamal plenty of support as the second unit settles in.
“Just keep shooting. We need you every night,” Griffin said. “Whether they’re going in and out, we’re taking the right shots when we need to. Whether they’re going in or not, it’s playing the right way.”
Griffin has certainly been playing the right way, putting together an All-NBA-caliber campaign, averaging 24.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a PER of 26.91—good for No. 4 in the league.
The Clips came off their win in Denver and went back home for the tail end of a back-to-back against the upstart Utah Jazz. Griffin went off for 40 points in that game, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 33-point night from Gordon Hayward, as the young Jazz prevailed 102-91.
L.A. didn’t let that loss get them off track though. They came back Friday and topped Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans, 111-90. That win sparked a three-game win streak.
Paul chipped in 10 points and hit two three-pointers two days later to guide the Clips past a pesky Minnesota Timberwolves squad. Los Angeles led by 10 going into the fourth quarter, but The Truth sandwiched a mid-range jumper between two long trifectas to put the Clips up 15 early in the quarter.
Minnesota made its late run, but that cushion provided by Paul helped the Clips hold off the Wolves and Pierce’s longtime friend and teammate, Kevin Garnett.
“It’s not always going to be pretty, but we have to pile up wins — especially in this Western Conference,” said point guard Chris Paul. “The team executed pretty well. First and foremost, we made shots.”
The Clips had another tough West test the very next night, continuing another back-to-back against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers did all they could to limit DeAndre Jordan, sending the L.A. big man to the line for 34 free throw attempts, but the star center finished with 18 points and 24 rebounds. Portland ended the game with 38 personal fouls, and Los Angeles ended with a 102-87 win.
The next night out, L.A. couldn’t stop the resurgent Paul George-led Indiana Pacers. George has been having a terrific season coming off a heartbreaking leg injury, and he didn’t disappoint in the Staples Center. He had 31 to outpoint the Clips, 103-91.
Los Angeles played host to another tough young Eastern Conference team on Saturday, and they edged the Orlando Magic. Crawford found his rhythm, as did Wesley Johnson off the bench. Crawford started while both Chris Paul and J.J. Redick sat with injuries. The vet went 6-of-9 from three for 32 points, while Johnson also hit six threes and had 21 points. Griffin chipped in 28 in the 103-101 win.
“The bigger sigh of relief is winning,” Crawford said of overcoming his slump. “If I had the same game and we lose, it doesn’t mean as much. We showed a lot of character. We really responded to the challenge.”
WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS – DEC. 7
1. Golden State Warriors (22-0)
2. San Antonio Spurs (17-4)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-8)
4. Memphis Grizzlies (12-9)
5. Dallas Mavericks (12-9)
6. Los Angeles Clippers (11-9)
7. Utah Jazz (9-9)
8. Houston Rockets (10-11)
NEXT UP
The Clippers kick off a five-game road trip on Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves ().
After facing the Wolves to start the trip, the Clips will face four Eastern Conference foes in a row: the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, the Chicago Bulls Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets Saturday and the Detroit Pistons the following Monday.
L.A. will then have a quick trip back home for a rematch with the Bucks Wednesday Dec. 16 before hitting the road once again for a crucial weekend back-to-back in Texas against the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.
Los Angeles will be the home team just twice (Dec. 16 vs. Milwaukee and Dec. 21 vs. Oklahoma City) in 14 games this December. That includes a Staples Center meeting on Christmas Day against the Lakers.
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