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Clips end losing streak to Phoenix as Griffin shines again

Dec 26, 2010 - 11:21 PM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Rookie Blake Griffin posted his 18th straight double-double with 28 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out, as the Los Angeles Clippers snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Phoenix Suns with a 108-103 victory at Staples Center.

Eric Gordon finished with 24 points and sealed the victory with a steal in the closing seconds for the Clippers, who have won four of their last five.

Baron Davis chipped in with 15 points and nine assists, while Randy Foye provided 10 points off the bench in the win.

"Blake did a great job for us. This was a team effort. We scrambled and got it done," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said.

Mickael Pietrus netted a team-high 25 points for Phoenix, which has lost three in a row and seven of its last nine contests overall. Steve Nash registered a double-double with 21 points and 15 assists, and Grant Hill poured in 19 points in defeat.

Ahead by one point after three quarters, Los Angeles maintained a slim advantage early in the fourth before Pietrus hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 85-85 with 7:54 to play.

The Clippers responded with eight straight points for a 93-85 lead with 5:43 on the clock.

The lead swelled to double digits, 104-94, with 2:07 remaining, but Pietrus' corner three capped a 9-0 run to make it a one-point affair with 22.5 seconds left.

Foye was fouled on the Clippers' next possession and made both at the stripe for a 106-103 score with 19.1 seconds to go.

After Phoenix called a time out, Gordon stripped Pietrus above the arc, leading to an Al-Farouq Aminu breakaway dunk that sealed the victory with 4.6 seconds on the clock.

"They did a good job defensively against us," Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said about the Clippers. "They're getting better. We're just not getting quality play."

Gordon and Griffin paced the Clippers with 14 and 11 points, respectively, in the opening quarter to help their squad grab a 33-18 lead after 12 minutes.

Los Angeles extended its advantage to 18, 51-33, with 4:53 left before the half, but a 7-2 Suns' run in the final 1 1/2 minutes drew them within 61-49 heading into the locker room.

Hill's two free throws finished off an 11-3 run to start the third to get Phoenix within four at 64-60 with 8:25 remaining in the quarter.

After falling down by eight with just under four minutes left, seven straight by Phoenix cut its deficit to 79-78 after three.

Game Notes

Suns newcomer Vince Carter missed his fourth straight game with a sore left knee after being acquired from New Jersey along with Pietrus and Marcin Gortat on December 18...DeAndre Jordan ended with nine points and 11 boards, while Aminu provided nine points in a reserve role for LA, which shot 53.3 percent from the field...Phoenix made 44.8 percent of its shots and 9-of-25 from three-point territory.