Rowan Kavner
LOS ANGELES – Missing their starting backcourt yet again, the Clippers needed something, be it a lift in energy or a standout performance from another guard.
Inserting Jamal Crawford into the starting lineup, the veteran shooting guard provided both.
Crawford and Blake Griffin combined for 71 points, 17 assists and 14 rebounds for the Clippers (6-4) in a 101-96 win against Detroit (5-3).
Next Game: 11/19
The Pistons came out scorching from the floor, particularly from deep, going 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Reggie Jackson and Ersan Ilyasova began the game a combined 8-for-8 from the floor and 5-for-5 from 3-point range.
Looks were open throughout the start of the game for the Pistons, and they didn’t miss. The only player beginning off the mark was Marcus Morris, who began the game 0-for-5 while the rest of Detroit’s lineup was 11-for-16. That allowed the Clippers to creep back in, going on a 10-0 run late in the quarter.
But that was short-lived, as the deficit went right back to double digits with the Pistons beginning the second quarter on a 10-2 run, starting 7-of-13 from 3-point range. That would eventually cease, as the Pistons would go 0-for-14 from three the rest of the night.
The Pistons still managed to lead, helped in large part by their domination on the glass. Doc Rivers joked before the game if the Clippers didn’t rebound better as a team and put bodies on the opponents’ bigs, Andre Drummond would end up with 40 rebounds.
It was going to be a tough assignment, as the Clippers allowed the sixth most offensive rebounds in the league and were playing a Pistons team grabbing more offensive boards than any team in the NBA, led by Drummond, who came in averaging 18.8 points and 19.3 rebounds per game.
Drummond was right around there again Saturday, finishing with 18 points and 19 boards. DeAndre Jordan also added a double-double for the Clippers with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Griffin combatted what the Pistons did on the offensive glass, equaling Drummond with four offensive rebounds. A 3-pointer from Austin Rivers gave the Clippers a late three-point lead, and Griffin and Crawford weren’t going to let that advantage slip the rest of the night, finishing the game off at the line.
