NBA: Paul scores 28 as Clippers hold on versus Pistons

LOS ANGELES -- Point guard Chris Paul scored 28 points, dished out 15 assists and recorded a season-high six steals, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 112-103 victory over the struggling Detroit Pistons on Saturday night (Sunday, PHL time) at Staples Center.
 

FINAL: #Clippers 112, Pistons 103. @CP3 28 pts, 15 asts, 6 stls. MORE STATS: http://t.co/lhV47Xav4K | #ItsTime

— Los Angeles Clippers (@LAClippers) March 23, 2014

Forward Blake Griffin added 25 points and seven rebounds for the Clippers (49-21), who won 12 of their last 13 contests. They handed Detroit its fifth straight defeat and its eighth setback in the past nine games. The Pistons (25-44) also dropped 13 in a row on the road.

Griffin, who connected on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor, scored at least 20 points for the 28th consecutive contest.

Forwards Matt Barnes and Danny Granger, who had a four-point play in the final period, scored 14 points apiece for Los Angeles, while center DeAndre Jordan finished with 12 rebounds and five blocks to go along with nine points.

The Clippers took control in the third, opening the quarter with 20-5 run for a 76-61 lead after a dunk by Griffin with 3:20 left. They outscored Detroit 24-14 for an 80-70 advantage at the end of the quarter.

The Pistons sliced Los Angeles' lead to six late in the game, but the Clippers held them off.

The Pistons outscored the Clippers 29-20 in the second quarter to cut Los Angeles' lead to 56-55 at intermission. Both teams shot well in the first half, with the Clippers hitting 54.8 percent (23 of 42) from the field compared to 51.1 percent (24 of 47) for Detroit. Overall, the Clippers shot 54.2 percent (45 of 83) to 45.2 percent (42 of 93) for the Pistons.

Reserve forward Jonas Jerebko led the Pistons with 22 points, while point guard Brandon Jennings, who topped 6,000 career points in the third quarter, had 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Center Andre Drummond finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. - Reuters


The scores:
CLIPPERS 112 - Paul 28, Griffin 25, Barnes 14, Granger 14, Collison 11, Jordan 9, Crawford 9, Turkoglu 2, Davis 0

PISTONS 103 - Jerebko 22, Jennings 19, Drummond 16, Smith 12, Monroe 12, Singler 6, Stuckey 6, Bynum 6, Caldwell-Pope 4

Los Angeles 36-56-80-112
Detroit         26-55-70-103