Clippers Send Lakers To Ninth Straight Loss With 105-93 Victory
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul scored 27 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Lakers 105-93 Friday night for their franchise-record ninth straight victory over their Staples Center co-tenant.
Austin Rivers added 17 points off the bench for the Clippers, who improved to 14-3 without Blake Griffin. Their star forward is out for at least a month with a broken right hand after punching a team staff member on the road last weekend. He had already been out since Dec. 26 with another injury.
The Lakers dropped their ninth in a row and 13th in 14 games. The Lakers worst losing streak since moving to Los Angeles is a 10-game skid at the end of the 1993-94 season under interim coach Magic Johnson.
Julius Randle had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Jordan Clarkson added 17 points for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant sat out with various ailments.
The Clippers won their third in a row and fifth in seven games. Their bench carried them on a night when Paul was the only starter in double figures. Their reserves outscored the Lakers' bench 56-25, led by Rivers, Lance Stephenson with 16 points and Jamal Crawford with 15.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Crawford and Stephenson gave the Clippers a 90-76 lead in the fourth. Randle scored four of the Lakers' next six points to pull them within eight.
Crawford got the Clippers going again with a basket. Stephenson followed with a one-handed jam over Randle. Having beaten everyone down the court, Crawford served up the ball to a streaking DeAndre Jordan for a dunk that extended their lead to 96-82. Jordan had 17 rebounds.
The Lakers opened the third quarter on a 14-5 run to take a 63-59 lead. Clarkson, Randle and Roy Hibbert each had four points in helping the Lakers run off 10 straight points during the spurt.
The Clippers regrouped and outscored the Lakers 19-7 to take a 78-71 lead into the fourth. Rivers scored six points, highlighted by a one-handed dunk, and Paul added five points.
TIP-INS
Lakers: They fell to 0-2 against the Clippers this season, having lost 94-84 on Christmas night.
Clippers: Their winning streak against the Lakers is the third-longest active such streak against any opponent.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Host Charlotte on Sunday.
Clippers: Host Chicago on Sunday.
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