Rowan Kavner
Score: LAC 103 – MIL 90
LOS ANGELES – Lance Stephenson dished and danced, Josh Smith knocked down shots behind the arc, the improved defense continued making strides and the Clippers found a way to turn what could’ve been a trap game against the Bucks into continued success.
Head coach Doc Rivers said the Clippers actually tried to get Wednesday’s game changed. It felt like a sixth straight road game in terms of rest. The Clippers had just returned from a five-game trip late Monday night and would play just the one game before leaving the next morning after for another two-game trip.
But the Clippers (16-10) didn’t let any of that affect them, leading by at least eight points every quarter in an eventual 103-90 victory against the Bucks (10-17).
Next Game: 12/18
Chris Paul finished with 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Blake Griffin had 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. J.J. Redick stayed hot with 19 points, and the Clippers got a boost from their bench.
Stephenson provided instant energy with four points, four assists, two rebounds in a steal in nine first-half minutes. When DeAndre Jordan was issued back-to-back technical fouls and ejected midway through the third quarter, Smith answered behind the arc, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to end the third quarter after the Bucks started creeping back in.
Smith finished 3-for-3 from 3-point range and led the bench with 13 points and helped the Clippers take a double-digit advantage into the fourth quarter.
The Bucks once again started to creep back into the game early in the fourth, but after cutting the Clippers’ lead to seven points, Austin Rivers scored the next seven points for the Clippers and got the lead back up to 10.
Despite little runs from the Bucks throughout the second half, the Clippers never relinquished the lead after halftime. Paul Pierce scored six points in the first half, with the first two coming on a buzzer-beater which took him to 26,000 career points, becoming one of five active players to reach the mark.
The Clippers have now won nine of their last 11 games and three straight as they embark on a two-game trip to Texas, beginning Friday against the Spurs.
