Blake Griffin pounds 47 points, as the resurgent Clippers torch the Pacers
Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers are shining brightest when the spotlight is on them. Griffin set a record with a career-high 47 points, as the Clippers swept the Indiana Pacers 114-107, to win their fifth consecutive game at home. Griffin also
pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.
After the game Griffin, who set a franchise rookie record, said, "I looked up at one point and I saw I had 41 points and after that I wasn't even sure what I finished with. It's fun to have a game like that, but it's even more fun to get a win."
Eric Gordon registered 23 points and Baron Davis scored 14 points in the home victory however, no other Clippers' player reached double figures.
Danny Granger scored a team-high 32 points in the defeat - making 10 of 11 free throws. Darren Collison contributed 30 points and eight assists for the Pacers, who lost their 22nd game of the 2010-11 season. Brandon Rush and James Posey also posted
10 points apiece in the defeat.
First Quarter
The Clippers entered the court full of confidence, courtesy of their first five-game winning streak at home since November 2006.
The Pacers played the first quarter offensively, taking a 32-26 lead into the second. Collison stayed hot in the opening quarter as he led the Pacers with 17 points. Meanwhile, Griffin paced the Clippers with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field.
Second Quarter
Indiana extended their sizzling offensive play into the second quarter. However, Griffin put in one of his best first half performances in a Clippers uniform, adding 15 points in the second quarter on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting. As a result, the Clippers
cut their deficit to 58-55 at half time.
Third Quarter
The Clippers got back into the game in the third quarter, as they opened the game with a Griffin lay-up and two Gordon free throws, to take a 59-58 lead. However, the Pacers tied the game at 59 points, when Collison connected on a technical free throw in
the 11th minute.
With three seconds to go in the quarter, Gordon’s driving slam helped the Clippers to take an 81-80 lead into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The game remained close in the opening minutes of the final stanza. However, Solomon Jones had two consecutive free throws, and the Pacers led 88-85 with just ten minutes to go until the final buzzer.
Ryan Gomes and Eric Gordon hit consecutive three-pointers to spark the Clippers 15-2 run. Indiana made one last push to cut the deficit back to three with less than two minutes remaining. However, Baron Davis hit a sizzling three-pointer on the other end
of the floor to finish off the Pacers.
An excited Davis said after the game, "That's the most important thing, we're challenging teams and being able to close out in the fourth quarter. That's what it takes to win."
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