Los Angeles: Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers embraced their biggest test of the season in triumphant style on Wednesday, exploding in the second half to stun the NBA champions Miami Heat 107-100.
Trailing 54-52 at the game’s midway point, the home team rocked the Heat’s ‘Big Three’ of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, building a 20-point lead before fending off a late Miami rally to complete their fourth straight win.
Point guard Paul marshalled the Clippers superbly with 16 points and 10 assists in front of a sellout crowd of 19,000 at the Staples Centre while twice All-Star forward Blake Griffin also had a double-double, with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Jamal Crawford, the 2010 Sixth Man-of-the-Year when he was playing for the Atlanta Hawks, added 22 points off the bench to enhance his status as the highest scoring reserve in the league this season.
