Clippers rout Lakers in Los Angeles showdown

Blake Griffin’s impressive 33 points helps the Clippers to a blistering 123-87 rout of neighboring Lakers in the NBA.

Wesley Johnson scores a dunk against the Clippers [AFP]

Forward Blake Griffin grabbed 12 rebounds and recorded four steals in three quarters as the Clippers (26-13) coasted to their third straight win and fifth in the last six games, while dealing the Lakers (14-23) their third consecutive loss and 10th in the past 11 contests.

Elsewhere, the Brooklyn Nets needed double overtime and a heavy dose of resiliency to hold off the Miami Heat for a 104-95 win.

The victory extended the Nets’ season-best winning streak to five games after they almost threw away a 14-point lead in the third quarter.

Heat guard Norris Cole’s jumper tied the score with 3.3 seconds left in the first overtime after the Heat were scoreless in the first four minutes of the first extra session and Miami forward LeBron James fouled out on a charge. 

James led the Heat with 36 points.

The Detroit Pistons rallied from an early 16-point deficit to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-104. 

Seven players reached double figures, led by forward Josh Smith with 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Forward David West scored 20 points and guard Lance Stephenson added his eighth double-double and the Indiana Pacers took control in the third quarter on the way to a 93-66 rout of the Washington Wizards (16-18).

Point guard C.J. Watson had 16 points on six-of-six shooting, centre Roy Hibbert scored 12 and forward Paul George added 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who have won nine of their last 11 to seize the NBA’s best record at 29-7.

The Minnesota Timberwolves claimed a 119-92 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Timberwolves centre Nikola Pekovic delivered a dominant 26-point, six-rebound performance before he sat the entire fourth quarter with the outcome no longer in doubt.

The Atlanta Hawks did not start like they were ready to snap a six-game losing streak to the Houston Rockets, falling behind 11-0 and scoring just 10 points in the first quarter.

The Hawks (20-17), though, turned things around with their defense and rallied to defeat the Rockets (23-14) 83-80 as guard Kyle Korver hit four clinching free throws in the closing seconds.

Celtics lose again

Forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points, including four three-pointers, and guard Monta Ellis added 23 points to spark the Dallas Mavericks to a 107-90 victory over the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans.

The Mavericks combined to make 14 of 28 shots from long distance, outscoring the Pelicans 42-9 from the perimeter.

The Mavericks improved to 21-16as the Pelicans dropped to 15-20.

Point guard Mike Conley tied his career high with 31 points and forward Zach Randolph added 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 104-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

The Grizzlies improved to 3-0 against the Suns this season and have won six of the past eight against Phoenix.

Guard Goran Dragic led the Suns with 21 points and forward Markeiff Morris added 17.

The Chicago Bulls won their fourth straight game behind a 19-point effort from Carlos Boozer in a 81-72 victory over the
Bucks.

Bulls (16-18) forward Mike Dunleavy added 18 points and forward Taj Gibson finished with 12.

Forward Ersan Ilyasova scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half for the Bucks (7-28).

Golden State guard Stephen Curry buried a 22-footer with 2.1 seconds remaining to lift the Warriors to a 99-97 win over
Boston and extend the Celtics’ losing streak to seven.

Playing at home for the first time after a 6-1 Eastern swing, the Warriors (25-14) overcame 8-for-26 shooting from three-point range and a late rally by the Celtics, who were playing their fourth consecutive road game.

Point guard Kyrie Irving scored 25 points and recently traded small forward Luol Deng made his Cleveland debut as the
Cavaliers picked up a 113-102 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Irving also had eight assists, six rebounds and five steals, while Deng finished with 10 points on four-of-eight shooting four nights after being traded from Chicago to Cleveland in the Andrew Bynum deal.

Centre DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points and 14 rebounds and forward Rudy Gay added 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Sacramento Kings rolled past the Orlando Magic 103-83.

Cousins produced his ninth consecutive double-double and his 22nd of the season, and Gay had his second double double in three games in leading Sacramento to its second straight home victory.

Source: Reuters