Clippers Vs. Nuggets: L.A. Gets Home Win Over Denver, 106-93

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Eric Gordon finished with 28 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a convincing, 106-93, victory over the Denver Nuggets at the Staples Center. Blake Griffin posted 22 points and 18 rebounds, while DeAndre Jordan finished with 14 points, a career-high 20 boards and six blocks for the Clippers, who snapped a two-game skid. Griffin also finished with seven assists, and with his 22nd consecutive double-double tied Swen Nater for the franchise record. Nater achieved the feat as a member of the Buffalo Braves in 1978.

Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 31 to go along with nine rebounds. Chauncey Billups added 25 points and Nene finished with 12 points and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Denver also got some bad news when backup point guard Ty Lawson suffered a sprained left knee. "It's a day-to-day sort of thing. I just have to ice it down," Lawson said of the injury.

Anthony scored 14 in the first quarter, including a driving layup in the closing seconds, but the Clippers led 30-23 after the opening 12. Los Angeles widened the margin to 51-43 at the half. After a back-and-fourth third quarter the Clippers' lead remained at eight, 82-74, entering the final stanza. An Anthony alley-oop layup and two Smith free throws opened up the fourth quarter and trimmed the Clippers' advantage to four, 82-78. After the teams traded baskets, Los Angeles then went on a 17-5 run -- bookended by Jordan baskets -- to widen the Clippers' lead to a game-high 16 with 4:08 remaining.

Los Angeles' lead never fell below 12 down the stretch. "We were determined to come out in the second half with higher intensity than they had," Jordan said. Griffin's seven assists tied a season high...The Clippers snapped a four-game skid to the Nuggets...Baron Davis finished with 16 points and eight assists, and Ryan Gomes added 13 points for the victors...Los Angeles held a 57-43 rebounding advantage...The Clippers shot 37 percent from three-point range, 42.1 percent for Denver...Arron Afflalo finished with 10 points for the Nuggets.

For more Clippers news and information, be sure to read the SB Nation Clippers blog Clips Nation.

Blake Griffin, Clippers Host Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets To Staples Center

(Sports Network) - The Denver Nuggets kick off a quick two-game California road trip tonight shooting for their fifth straight win when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. The Nuggets won their fourth straight game on Monday when Carmelo Anthony finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, as Denver topped the Houston Rockets 113-106 at Pepsi Center.

Nene notched a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards and Arron Afflalo added 15 points in the win. Chauncey Billups scored 13 and Kenyon Martin rounded out the starting five with 11 points and six rebounds for Denver. Anthony's latest stellar effort came hours after an NBA.com report said he turned down another contract extension from the Nuggets last week. The All- Star shot just 10-of-25 from the floor but did a lot of his damage at the foul line, hitting 13 of his 14 free throws.

"I thought he was the hardest guy to cover on the court," Nuggets coach George Karl said of Anthony. Denver, which is just 5-10 on the road and will travel to lowly Sacramento after tonight's game, played without Al Harrington, who missed his fourth straight game with a dislocated right thumb. Harrington, however, could return at any time.

The Clippers, meanwhile, fell to 0-2 on a five-game homestand on Sunday, when Joe Johnson scored a team-high 29 points, and the Atlanta Hawks used a big fourth quarter to get past Los Angeles, 107-98, at the Staples Center. Blake Griffin posted his 21st straight double-double with 31 points and 15 boards for the Clippers, who have lost three of five overall. Baron Davis ended with 15 points in defeat.

"You can't give a team like that more possessions," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Their execution was better in the second half. The game came easy to us in the first half. We need to learn how to take our game to the next level." Ryan Gomes, Eric Gordon and Eric Bledsoe each finished with 10 points for LA, which shot 46.3 percent from the field.

The Nuggets have won 11 of their last 12 games against the Clips, including a pair of contests in the Rockies this season.

For more Clippers news and information, be sure to read the SB Nation Clippers blog Clips Nation.