BROWNNOSE
BOOTLICKER
OAKLAND, Calif. – Monta Ellis scored 30 points, Stephen Curry had 23 and the Golden State Warriors pulled away late for a 122-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
Vladimir Radmanovic hit a pair of 3-pointers during the key 10-0 run in the fourth quarter that sealed the win. He finished with 13 points and David Lee added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Warriors, who are in the midst of their longest home stretch of the season.
Blake Griffin had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Eric Gordon scored 28 for a Clippers team that failed again to piece together a four-game winning streak. Los Angeles was trying to win four in a row for the first time since the beginning of the 2007-08 season after a big win over Miami earlier this week.
The Clippers' neighbors to the north weren't about to become the milestone marker.
Radmanovic broke a 106-all tie on a 3-pointer with a little more than 3 minutes remaining. He followed up with another, and Lee and Ellis hit layups to help Golden State pull away for a much-needed win after a demoralizing, last-minute loss to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Wednesday night.
The game was just the second of a huge stretch of home games for Golden State that includes playing 13 of 14 at Oracle Arena. The Warriors will need a strong showing during this part of their schedule — which started with the loss to the Lakers — to have any chance to jump into the playoff mix.
This one was just their type of game.
The offensive outpouring gave fans looking for fantastic finishes all they could handle. At the center of many of them, of course, was the high-flying rookie.
Griffin took off for a dunk just inside the free throw line on his first attempt only to be fouled by Andris Biedrins and miss. No matter, Griffin converted an alley-oop dunk from Baron Davis on the next possession and had a pair of other slams in the opening quarter — and many others on this night — to put the Clippers ahead 39-35 in a period in which they shot 70 percent.
The Warriors clamped down and found their rhythm with an 11-0 spurt in the second quarter capped by Radmanovic's 3-pointer. They would go ahead by 13 points but went into halftime leading only 69-62.
Neither team could take a big lead for most of the game, which had 15 lead changes and 13 ties. The Warriors went ahead by six with more than 6 minutes remaining, then Griffin delivered perhaps his most acrobatic move of the night: a spinning reverse layup that bounced high off the glass and in — and got the foul on Lee for a three-point play.
That was about the last highlight for the Clippers.
The Warriors took control with the only way they know how: some timely shooting from beyond the arc and just enough defense to send the Clippers home with yet another missed opportunity at that elusive winning streak.
Notes: Griffin extended his franchise record to 24 straight games with a double-double. ... The Warriors and Clippers will meet one more time this season on Jan. 22 in Los Angeles. Golden State leads the season series 2-1, with each team winning on its home court. ... Griffin received some applause from the opposing fans for more than just his soaring dunks. He was tripped up by Lee in the first quarter, sliding with his arms out wide for several feet after the whistle.
Vladimir Radmanovic hit a pair of 3-pointers during the key 10-0 run in the fourth quarter that sealed the win. He finished with 13 points and David Lee added 19 points and nine rebounds for the Warriors, who are in the midst of their longest home stretch of the season.
Blake Griffin had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Eric Gordon scored 28 for a Clippers team that failed again to piece together a four-game winning streak. Los Angeles was trying to win four in a row for the first time since the beginning of the 2007-08 season after a big win over Miami earlier this week.
The Clippers' neighbors to the north weren't about to become the milestone marker.
Radmanovic broke a 106-all tie on a 3-pointer with a little more than 3 minutes remaining. He followed up with another, and Lee and Ellis hit layups to help Golden State pull away for a much-needed win after a demoralizing, last-minute loss to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on Wednesday night.
The game was just the second of a huge stretch of home games for Golden State that includes playing 13 of 14 at Oracle Arena. The Warriors will need a strong showing during this part of their schedule — which started with the loss to the Lakers — to have any chance to jump into the playoff mix.
This one was just their type of game.
The offensive outpouring gave fans looking for fantastic finishes all they could handle. At the center of many of them, of course, was the high-flying rookie.
Griffin took off for a dunk just inside the free throw line on his first attempt only to be fouled by Andris Biedrins and miss. No matter, Griffin converted an alley-oop dunk from Baron Davis on the next possession and had a pair of other slams in the opening quarter — and many others on this night — to put the Clippers ahead 39-35 in a period in which they shot 70 percent.
The Warriors clamped down and found their rhythm with an 11-0 spurt in the second quarter capped by Radmanovic's 3-pointer. They would go ahead by 13 points but went into halftime leading only 69-62.
Neither team could take a big lead for most of the game, which had 15 lead changes and 13 ties. The Warriors went ahead by six with more than 6 minutes remaining, then Griffin delivered perhaps his most acrobatic move of the night: a spinning reverse layup that bounced high off the glass and in — and got the foul on Lee for a three-point play.
That was about the last highlight for the Clippers.
The Warriors took control with the only way they know how: some timely shooting from beyond the arc and just enough defense to send the Clippers home with yet another missed opportunity at that elusive winning streak.
Notes: Griffin extended his franchise record to 24 straight games with a double-double. ... The Warriors and Clippers will meet one more time this season on Jan. 22 in Los Angeles. Golden State leads the season series 2-1, with each team winning on its home court. ... Griffin received some applause from the opposing fans for more than just his soaring dunks. He was tripped up by Lee in the first quarter, sliding with his arms out wide for several feet after the whistle.