Blake Griffin scored 22 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and blocked two shots as the Los Angeles Clippers used a strong second half to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 92-86 at Staples Center. The win was the third straight for the Clippers, who are in first place in the Pacific Division at 4-2. The Clippers are 19-6 in their last 25 home games.
The Clippers have beaten Milwaukee four straight times at Staples Center and are 14-7 in their last 21 meetings with the Bucks.
After a sluggish first half that saw the Clippers score only 38 points, Los Angeles came out firing in the third quarter. Caron Butler scored 14 of his season-high 20 points in the quarter as the Clippers put up 34 points and turned a two-point deficit into a seven-point lead heading into the final quarter.
Chauncey Billups added 19 points for the Clippers, including 13 in the second half on 4-of-6 shooting. Billups also made all seven of his free throw attempts in the game and is a perfect 24-for-24 from the charity stripe this season. Only Nick Young of the Washington Wizards, at 26-for-26, has made more free throws without a miss this season.
Dominguez High School graduate Brandon Jennings led the Bucks with 21 points in 44 minutes and also grabbed six rebounds and dished out seven assists. Drew Gooden added 18 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee, who shot 36.2% from the field.
Milwaukee was without center Andrew Bogut, who missed his third straight game for personal reasons, and Mike Dunleavy, who missed his fourth straight game with a groin strain.
Reggie Evans, who missed the first five games of the year with a sprained right foot, made his season debut and grabbed six rebounds, scored three points, and blocked a shot in his 19 minutes of play. The Clippers have two days off before heading to Portland Tuesday night to battle the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.
For more Clippers news and information, be sure to read Clips Nation.