LOS ANGELES – DeAndre Jordan had 17 points, 20 rebounds and four blocks to lead the Los Angeles Clippers 120-93 in a blowout loss of the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon at Staples Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Los Angeles was looking to avenge an 83-80 loss to the Bulls last month in Chicago. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler both started hot for the Bulls who led 6-0 to start the game.
"Both teams were awful. Blake [Griffin] got thrown out early," coach Doc Rivers said of the loss in Chicago. "We hadn't mastered the small ball yet, we're growing as a team, that's the biggest difference."
The Clippers would settle down however and closed the first quarter on a 7-to-5 run and led by 2 heading into the second. Los Angeles would add to their lead in the second quarter and held a 4-point lead at the half.
The Clips pulled away in the third quarter, building a double-digit lead entering the fourth and final frame. J.J. Redick scored 11 points in the third, and DeAndre Jordan had 9 points. Rose and Butler were held to just four points each in the third.
Jamal Crawford started the fourth quarter on fire, scoring the Clippers first eight points, extending the leads to 17 points before the Bulls finally made a run.
"Doc told me to be more aggressive than usual," Crawford said of his hot start to the fourth. "I didn't just want to be a scorer, I wanted to be a guy who made plays for his teammates."
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
Chicago would get within a dozen midway through the fourth quarter, but Rivers reinserted his starters into the lineup and Los Angeles closed out the game with authority, in a 27-point rout of the Bulls.
Butler finished with 23 points to lead the Bulls, Rose had 20, and Pau Gasol added 15 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago.
"I don't know any specifics, but I now we need to start winning," a visibly frustrated Bulter said after the game. "We can't keep waiting, the time is now. Today just wasn't a good one for our team."
Jordan filled the stat sheet on Sunday, finishing with 17 points, 20 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. J.J. Redick scored 21 points, going 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Chris Paul had 19 points and 7 assists, and Crawford scored a game-high 26 points off the bench.
The victory is the Clippers fourth consecutive victory, coinciding with Blake Griffin's broken hand suffered last weekend. Griffin is expected to miss between 4 and 6 weeks after breaking his hand punching the team's equipment manager.
TURNING POINT
DeAndre Jordan alley-oop dunk from Jamal Crawford. The Clippers top two players on Sunday put an exclamation point on the game with 5:00 remaining in the fourth quarter when Jordan threw down a thunderous dunk to put Los Angeles up by 14.
Lookout below! �� #TheLobTheJam https://t.co/bGwNFzrvJF — LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 31, 2016
MVP OF THE GAME
DeAndre Jordan. Jordan had his best overall game of the season scoring 17 points, with 20 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
Jamal Crawford scored 20+ points off the bench for a record 157th time, most among active players.
TWEET OF THE NIGHT
At the #StaplesCenter ready to face the #Clippers! Let’s get a win today team! #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/1xwfIQd34Z — Pau Gasol (@paugasol) January 31, 2016
Not the LA weather you're used to, huh Pau?
PHOTO OF THE NIGHT
Never a dull moment at STAPLES Center. Check out photos from the first half.
�� https://t.co/FKPQyZTmVL pic.twitter.com/Go02zGCiVg — LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 31, 2016
DJ being DJ.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
"Jamal went on a killing spree tonight." – Chris Paul on Crawford's performance.
NOTES
Chris Paul is the only player in the past 30 years to average 15+ points, 9+ assists, and 2+ steals against the Chicago Bulls…Blake Griffin remained out with a broken hand, he was not in attendance for the game….Nikola Mirotic and Joakim Noah were both out with injuries for the Bulls and did not travel with the team.
RECORD
Chicago Bulls (26-20, 10-11 on the road) 2nd in the Central Division.
Los Angeles Clippers (32-16, 17-7 at home) 2nd in the Pacific Division.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bulls continue their seven-game rodeo road trip when they travel to Utah on Monday night to take on the Jazz.
The Los Angeles Clippers will host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, February 3rd before heading out on the road for their next four games.
