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Clippers 114, Magic 86
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
LOS ANGELES — Forward Blake Griffin had 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 114-86 rout of the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
Shooting guard J.J. Redick scored 20 points and point guard Chris Paul added 19 points, 10 assists and five rebounds for the Clippers (13-5), who captured their sixth consecutive win. Forward Matt Barnes, the only Los Angeles starter to play in the final period, finished with 17 points.
Forward Tobias Harris led the Magic (7-14) with 16 points and eight rebounds. Orlando, which was coming off a one-point defeat against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, fell for the sixth time in seven games.
The Clippers, who never trailed, raced to a 15-point lead less than five minutes into the contest behind Redick and Griffin. Redick scored 17 first-half points by hitting six of seven shots from the floor, including three of four 3-point attempts, to stake the Clippers to a 57-44 lead at intermission. Griffin had 15 points at the break.
Both teams struggled on foul shots in the first half. The Magic fared better on their field-goal shooting than they did from the line. Orlando hit four of 13 free throws (30.8 percent), with guard Elfrid Payton being the biggest offender, bricking seven of eight. Payton also shot consecutive air balls from the foul line. Orlando shot 45 percent from the floor before halftime.
The Clippers sank 11 of 17 free throws (64.7 percent) in the half while making 55.3 percent of their field goals.
For the game, Los Angeles hit 53.8 percent of its shots compared to 41.8 percent for Orlando.
The Magic played without center Nikola Vucevic, who missed his second game in a row due to back spasms. Kyle O’Quinn started in Vucevic’s spot, but O’Quinn was ejected at 5:54 of the second quarter after committing a flagrant-2 foul on Griffin.
NOTES: Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn said PG Victor Oladipo is starting to play better after missing the first nine games of the season due to a injuries. Oladipo, the second overall pick of the 2013 draft, scored 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting Tuesday in the Magic’s 98-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors. “I think he is slowly getting into a comfortable position being on the floor,” Vaughn said. “This is a guy that had an MCL injury and a facial fracture. That just sounds uncomfortable. So, I think overall he is just finding himself and understanding how to play with his teammates.” … The Magic visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night. … The Clippers host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
