Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Jamal Crawford poured in 22 points off the
bench, as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their franchise-record winning
streak to 14 games on Tuesday with a 112-100 triumph over the Denver Nuggets
at Staples Center.
Matt Barnes also came off the bench and added 20 points, while Chris Paul
finished with 14 points, eight assists and three steals for the Clippers, who
own the best record in the NBA at 22-6.
Kosta Koufos paced the Nuggets with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Ty Lawson
chipped in 15 points and five assists in the setback, Denver's second in its
last three games.
The Clippers trailed by one, 26-25, after 12 minutes, but the home team
outscored the visitors by 20 in the second quarter to build a comfortable lead
at the break.
A Barnes 3-pointer sparked a 12-3 Clippers spurt early in the frame to put Los
Angeles in front, 39-32, just over three minutes into the second.
A pair of free throws from Danilo Gallinari brought the Nuggets back within
seven with just under four minutes left in the half, but the Clippers
countered with the next nine points, capped by Barnes' 3-pointer to make it a
58-42 margin with 1:52 left until halftime.
DeAndre Jordan put an exclamation point on the stanza in the closing seconds,
as he finished an alley-oop slam off a great feed from Crawford to send the
Clippers into the locker room holding a 67-48 advantage.
Denver pulled within 10, 75-65, after a JaVale McGee hook shot with 6:42 left
in the third, but Willie Green buried back-to-back 3-pointers to press the
lead back up to 16 with under five minutes left in the third.
The visitors trimmed the deficit to 10 again following an Andre Miller layup
with 1:17 left before the Clippers closed the frame on a 9-2 swing to build a
93-76 advantage heading into the final frame.
Denver never threatened in the fourth, as the Clippers led by double digits
throughout the stanza to secure the victory.
Game Notes
The Clippers have won six of the last seven matchups against Denver ... Every
Los Angeles player who appeared in the game registered at least two points ...
LA shot 44 percent (11-for-25) from three-point range and held the Nuggets to
23.1 percent (3-for-13) from distance.
The Sports Network