Chris Paul scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, as the Los Angeles Clippers erased an 18-point second half deficit with a 74-71 win over the Portland Trail Blazers at Rose Garden on Thursday night. The win snapped a six-game losing streak in Portland for Los Angeles. The last win for the Clippers in Portland was a 117-109 double-overtime win on December 12, 2008.
Blake Griffin scored 21 points and had 14 rebounds in the win for the Clippers (16-9), who won their fifth road game this season that they trailed by 10 or more points. That is one more such win for the Clippers than in the last four seasons combined.
The Clippers fell behind by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but closed the third quarter on a 20-10 run to pull to within eight points entering the final quarter. A three-pointer by Mo Williams gave the Clippers a 67-66 lead with 3:51 remaining, and Paul extended the lead to four points 43 seconds later.
The Clippers shot just 38.5% from the field for the night, and made only two of 17 three-point attempts. Los Angeles has won seven of their last nine road games this season.
Nicolas Batum scored 15 points in the first quarter for Portland (16-15), but managed just four points the rest of the way. Jamal Crawford added 19 points off the bench for the Blazers, who shot 38.0% from the field. Portland was playing without All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, out with a sprained left ankle, and the Blazers were playing their third game in as many nights on Thursday.
The Clippers host the red-hot San Antonio Spurs on Saturday afternoon at Staples Center.
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