The Los Angeles Clippers (29-16) defeated the Indiana Pacers (23-22) 91-89 on Tuesday.
The Clippers found out earlier in the day that superstar forward Blake Griffin will be sidelined for much longer than originally anticipated, but his problematic quadriceps tendon isn't the cause. Instead, it's a broken right hand allegedly suffered during an altercation with a team employee in Toronto that will apparently keep him out 4-6 additional weeks. His continued absence continues to shine the spotlight squarely on Chris Paul, who has more often than not served as the team's scoring leader during the time Griffin has already missed. The All-Star point guard did not disappoint in that role Tuesday, scoring a team-high 26 points and adding seven assists, six rebounds and a steal. With only J.J. Redick joining him as a starter with double-digit points, Paul's contributions were integral in a tough road victory.
Redick was solid himself with 19 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. DeAndre Jordan cleaned up on the glass, particularly on the defensive end, tallying 19 boards, 15 which were off missed Pacers shots. He also added nine points, two assists and three blocks. Wesley Johnson paced the Clippers bench with 15 points, and supplemented it with an assist and a steal.
With the victory, Los Angeles remains in second place in the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They now head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Wednesday.
Indiana was unsurprisingly led by Paul George, who tallied 31 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. Ten of those points came in the fourth quarter, when George managed to get the Pacers within their two-point margin of defeat by draining a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining. George Hill posted 15 points, two assists, a rebound and a steal. Ian Mahinmi returned from a three-game absence due to ankle and heel ailments to post a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double, which he complemented a pair of assists and a pair of steals. Standout rookie Myles Turner managed to extend his stretch of impressive play despite Mahinmi's return, registering 16 points, six rebounds and a block over a highly efficient 18 minutes to lead the Indiana reserves.
With the loss, the Pacers currently reside in fourth place in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. They await the Atlanta Hawks for a Thursday matchup at home.
