LA Clippers Hold Off Lakers Rally On Christmas Day

Clippers forward Blake Griffin said before Friday’s game that a player of Bryant’s stature should be met with deference and understanding from other deserving players.

Griffin is the Clippers’ leading scorer with 23.2 points per game.

This Blake Griffin injury comes as the team tries to stay ahead of three teams in the race for the fourth best record in the West. The Clippers (17-13) hold second place in the Pacific Division and are ahead of the Dallas Mavericks (16-13), Memphis Grizzlies (16-15), and Houston Rockets (16-15) overall. The Jazz sagged off the hottest shooter on the court on a three-pointer with 63 seconds remaining because of a defensive miscommunication. Curry can consistently make shots from 28 feet out as he is on pace to shatter his own record of 3-pointers made in a season.

The Lakers late run in the 4th quarter fell short by outscoring the Clippers 27-9 as they lose 94-84.

Bryant was referring to another song continually played at the Garden that series – “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by a Massachusetts-born punk band. “I think we kind of figured out how to get open”.

But we all know that since The Black Mamba poetically announced his retirement from the game earned his legacy with, it’s all-around over for the perennial Lakers All-Star.

“We’ve had to do that before, ” Paul said.

Arriving in Salt Lake City at 3:30 in the morning following their game with the Lakers, the Clippers sluggish start was slightly undone by good minutes from Pierce and the second-unit, a stretch that even included a rare Pierce dunk. After a final game in his hometown Philadelphia that included a pre-tip tribute and stirring Jumbotron video, the humbled Los Angeles Lakers superstar said, “I thought opposing fans hated me”.

The solid play from the wings continued in the fourth quarter as Redick scored nine of his 25 points while Pierce had five. “I didn’t think he could get that much better from past year but I do think he’s gotten considerably better, which is quite a feat when you’re the reigning MVP”.

Los Angeles shot 50 percent (13 of 26) from 3-point range for the game. The Jazz, who were also shorthanded playing without Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors, shot 58.3 percent in the first half and 48.6 percent in the game.

Playing up to the level of their competition is something the Clippers have yet to do this season.

The Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade has 300,595 votes to lead East guards followed by Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, who has 138,191 despite just coming back from an injury suffered in last season’s NBA Finals. They’ve been far from impressive this season, and the Clippers will be praying that the re-evaluation of Griffin clears him to play in two week’s time.