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Paul, Jordan Lead Clippers Past Celtics, 114-90

LOS ANGELES (AP) — DeAndre Jordan had 15 points and 13 rebounds, Chris Paul added 13 points and 14 assists and the Los Angeles Clippers cruised to a 114-90 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night.

The Clippers won their third in a row and moved 5 1/2 games ahead of Memphis, which lost to San Antonio on Monday night, for fourth place in the Western Conference with nine games to play. The Clippers clinched a playoff berth on Sunday.

Austin Rivers scored 16 points to lead the Clippers, who shot 52 percent. Jamal Crawford added 13, Wesley Johnson 11 and Jeff Green 10.

Isaiah Thomas scored 24 points and Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart each added 13 for the Celtics, who shot just 35 percent and had a four-game winning snapped.

Jared Sullinger added nine points and 11 rebounds for Boston.

The loss dropped the Celtics, one of four teams separated by two games in a fight for Nos. 3-6 in the Eastern Conference standings, to fifth place, a half-game behind Miami. The Heat beat Brooklyn on Monday night.

Ahead 30-26 in the second quarter, the Clippers ran off a 22-8 burst, taking a 52-34 lead on Rivers' 3-pointer with 4:47 left in the half. The Clippers led 67-50 at halftime shooting 59 percent, 64 percent on 3-pointers.

The Celtics fought within 79-68, only to see the Clippers reel off 13 of the game's next 15 points. Los Angeles took a 92-70 lead on Crawford's second of back-to-back 3-pointers with 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

PIERCE IN PAIN

Paul Pierce was removed from the game with 2:06 left in the second quarter after scoring on a driving finger roll. He sprained his right ankle and bruised his right knee on the play, according to the Clippers. He did not return.

DEFENSIVE DISAPPEARANCE

In their first meeting on Feb. 10, each team's last game before the NBA All-Star break, the Clippers beat the Celtics 139-134 in overtime.

"Brad (Stevens) and I were laughing," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "We said our defense went on All-Star break a day early."

TIP-INS

Boston: Jae Crowder, sidelined by a high ankle sprain since March 11, missed his eighth straight game. ... The Celtics have three more games on this West Coast road trip. ... There was plenty of green at Staples Center. Several times during the first half, the chant, "Let's go Celtics!" broke out.

Los Angeles: All 13 Clippers who appeared in the game scored at least 2 points. ... On the Clippers' first 11 baskets, Paul assisted on seven and scored three others. He had a double-double (10 points, 10 assists) with 2:06 left in the first half.

UP NEXT

Boston: At Portland on Thursday.

Los Angeles: At Minnesota on Wednesday.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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