Phoenix: Blake Griffin scored 23 points, Chris Paul had 17 points and 13 assists and the Los Angeles Clippers extended a franchise record with their 13th consecutive victory, 103-77 over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
Reserve Jamal Crawford added 22 points for the Clippers, who won in Phoenix for the first time since April 17, 2007. Los Angeles’ overall win streak is an NBA season best and its six straight road victories are also a franchise best.
Jared Dudley scored 19 points, Luis Scola had 11 and Markieff Morris added 10 for the Suns, who have dropped two straight after winning four in a row.
Suns coach Alvin Gentry was ejected with 2:33 left in the first half when he received a pair of technical fouls seconds apart. The teams combined for six technical in the game’s first three quarters.
Phoenix kept it close for the first quarter and half of the second. Shannon Brown sank an 3.5-metre pull-up jumper on a fast break as the Suns trimmed an eight-point deficit to 43-40 with 5:36 left in the first half.
That would be the Suns’ next-to-last field goal of the half.
Crawford, meanwhile, hit a long 3-pointer and a pair of free throws to key a 15-3 run that helped give the Clippers a 58-43 lead at halftime.
Los Angeles continued to extend its lead in the third, aided by five Phoenix turnovers in the first three minutes of the period, and used a 16-3 run to end the quarter for a 91-60 lead.
The Suns had 17 turnovers against the Clippers, who lead the NBA by forcing an average of 17.5 per game.
Paul either scored or assisted on all but one basket over the final five minutes of the first quarter.
The Clippers matched a franchise record by holding their eighth straight opponent below 43 per cent shooting.
The Clippers’ prior best road winning streak was set in 1974-75 by the then-Buffalo Braves.
