(NBA) Paul-less Clippers beat Grizzlies
(01-15 15:37)
The Los Angeles Clippers passed the first test of a difficult road swing by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 99-73 Monday behind 16 points each from reserves Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes.
The Clippers easily beat one of the best teams in the Western Conference and they did it without star guard Chris Paul who missed the game with a bruised knee, AFP reports.
Filling in for Paul, Eric Bledsoe scored 14 points for Los Angeles, which snapped a brief two-game road losing streak.
The Clippers just started a road trip which will see them play 15 of 19 games away from Staples Center arena. The Clippers are 18-4 at home compared to 11-5 on the road.
Zach Randolph finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who played without forward Rudy Gay who left the team to attend the funeral of his grandmother.
Los Angeles opened up a 15-point lead early in the second quarter at the FedEx Forum arena, but Memphis charged back with an 11-2 run to pull within 36-30 midway through the period.
The Clippers then outscored the Grizzlies 17-4 the rest of the quarter to take a 53-34 lead into halftime. Crawford had six points during the surge, while Bledsoe scored five.
The Clippers led 73-52 after three quarters and the lead reached 27 points at one stage of the fourth.
Memphis has been tough at home of late, winning 26 of their past 30 games there.
But the Clippers have now won six of the past seven meetings between the two clubs, including a 101-92 victory on October 31.
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