Clippers Lose To Hawks 101-100 On Blake Griffin Flagrant Foul

Two free throws by Al Horford with 0.6 seconds remaining gave the Atlanta Hawks a 101-100 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in a hotly contested game at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Horford sank both free throws after a controversial flagrant foul was called on Blake Griffin, who collided with Horford while going for the block with both hands. Both Griffin and Horford were shaken up on the play, and remained laying on the floor for a few minutes.

The sour ending ruined what was shaping up to be a good night for the Clippers. They were down 14 points with 10 minutes remaining, but clawed their way back to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. The game featured 20 lead changes and 13 ties. Eric Bledsoe gave the Clippers their final lead with 11.5 seconds remaining by hitting a pair of free throws.

Baron Davis played one of his finest games of the season, leading the Clippers with 22 points and 13 assists. Davis scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. Griffin added 19 points and 11 rebounds in the loss for the Clippers, who are now 3-16 on the road this season. The Clippers have lost five straight games away from Staples Center.

Jamal Crawford led Atlanta with 34 points in 37 minutes off the bench, hitting five (of 12) three-pointers. Eastern Conference All-Star Horford poured in 23 points and grabbed 12 boards for the Hawks. The Clippers next play in Miami Sunday morning against the Heat.

For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Clips Nation.

Clippers Vs. Hawks: A Look At The Clippers' Road Trip

Tonight's game at Philips Arena against the Atlanta Hawks is the start of an epic road trip for the Los Angeles Clippers. They won't play another game at Staples Center until February 25. Their 11-game road trip is broken up by the NBA All-Star break, so this first leg of the trip is eight games. The 14-day trip began Thursday, and the Clippers will log 6,510 air miles throughout the trip that will see them play several playoff-bound teams at the start of the trip:

The Clippers are 3-15 on the road this season, and have lost four straight games away from home. However, against the Eastern Conference the Clippers are 2-2 on the road so far this year. There is a chance the Cavaliers will bring a 26-game losing streak, which would be a new NBA record, into their game with the Clippers next Friday. Those first three games are brutal, but the final five games before the All-Star break are winnable contests for the Clippers.

For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Clips Nation.

Clippers Begin Epic Road Trip Against Hawks In Atlanta

The Los Angeles Clippers have shown they can win at home this season, but now embark on an epic road trip beginning Friday night in Atlanta against the playoff-bound Hawks. Atlanta is the first stop of an 11-game road trip for Blake Griffin and the Clippers, who lost to Atlanta in Los Angeles on January 2. In fact, Atlanta is one of only two teams who can claim victory over the Clippers at Staples Center in 2011, joining the Chicago Bulls, in a span of 11 games.

Calling this an 11-game road trip for the Clippers is a bit disingenuous, as it is broken up by the All-Star game, which happens to be at Staples Center. Still, the Clippers have eight games before the break. Those eight games, plus Thursday's travel day, come in a span of 14 days, covering a grand total of 6,510 miles. The Clippers are just 3-15 on the road this season, including losses in their last four contests away from Staples Center. Of the Clippers' remaining 34 games, a whopping 23 are on the road.

Griffin, who on Thursday was named an NBA All-Star reserve for the Western Conference, is coming off a 32-point, 13-rebound, seven-assist effort in a loss to the Bulls on Wednesday. Griffin has five 30-10-5 games this season, trailing only LeBron James (who has six) in the NBA. Griffin this season is averaging 19.7 points per game on the road, compared to 25.0 points per game at home. He is shooting 47.9% from the field wearing the red jerseys, compared to 54.0% in the home whites.

The Clippers on Thursday assigned guard Willie Warren, Griffin's college teammate at Oklahoma, to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Developmental League. Warren, who was selected by the Clippers in the second round of the 2010 NBA draft, appeared in only three games since the end of November, for a grand total of under five minutes of play.

Atlanta gets Marvin Williams back tonight, after serving a two-game suspension for getting into an altercation with the Knicks last weekend. The Hawks have two All-Stars, as both Al Horford and Joe Johnson were named Eastern Conference reserves on Thursday. Atlanta is 16-7 at Philips Arena this season, but only 4-5 at home against Western Conference teams.

For more information on tonight's game, be sure to read Clips Nation.