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Clippers resume lengthy trek in New Orleans

Jan 30, 2015 - 3:28 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Clippers continue a marathon road trip Friday night when they visit the Smoothie King Center to face the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Clips are in game two of an eight-game odyssey and have been playing sensational basketball. LA has won six in a row and four straight on the road to vault into a tie for third place in the Western Conference.

The Clippers started this sojourn with a 94-89 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

Chris Paul, who was named as a reserve for the Western Conference All-Star team Thursday, and Jamal Crawford each scored 21 points to lead the Clippers to victory.

Blake Griffin, who was already named a starter for the West team, had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Clippers, who have won 13 straight over the Jazz.

Matt Barnes had 14 in the win and Austin Rivers chipped in 12 off the bench.

"We say create your own energy," said Paul of how they were able to build momentum. "Something we always say before the game and stuff like that. It comes from getting consecutive stops."

With Crawford in the starting lineup for an injured J.J. Redick, all five LA starters logged over 35 minutes on Wednesday. Redick, who missed the game with back spasms, is questionable Friday.

The Clippers will visit the San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks on this long trip.

The Pelicans had a four-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday with a 93-85 home loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Tyreke Evans scored 15 of his 25 points in the third quarter to pace the Pelicans. Anthony Davis, who temporarily left the game in the third after suffering a leg injury, supplied 24 points and 12 rebounds in the setback.

New Orleans trailed by six with under four minutes left in the fourth when Davis converted a runner through the lane before Eric Gordon, who went 4-of-15 shooting for 11 points, knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one.

The Nuggets countered as Ty Lawson found Arron Afflalo for a trey, then Lawson made a layup after a nifty drive on forwards Dante Cunningham and Omer Asik, increasing the advantage to 91-85 with 1:34 remaining.

"We had a few defensive miscues. We gave up some timely (3-pointers). That one from Afflalo was a tough one to come back from," Pelicans coach Monty Williams said.

The Pelicans are 2-1 on this homestand and will play the Atlanta Hawks and Thunder on this stay.

The Clippers defeated the Pelicans by 20 in Los Angeles on Dec. 6 and have won seven of the last eight in this series. LA is 3-1 in its last four in the Big Easy.