Hawks 107 - 98 Clippers
Final
  for this game

Hawks visit Griffin, Clippers

Jan 2, 2011 - 3:39 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Hawks will resume a four-game road trip this afternoon in Staples Center when they take on Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Hawks dropped the opener of their trek in Oklahoma City on Friday when Russell Westbrook posted a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, as the Thunder held off Atlanta, 103-94.

Jamal Crawford donated 26 points and five steals off the bench for the Hawks, who saw a brief two-game winning streak come to an end and lost for the eighth time in their last 10 games away from Dixie. Josh Smith had 23 points and nine rebounds for Atlanta, which also got 16 points and 11 assists from Joe Johnson.

The Hawks took exception when Westbrook found Serge Ibaka for a meaningless dunk in the waning seconds to secure the triple-double instead of running out the clock.

"You don't do that," Atlanta coach Larry Drew said. "The game is over with. You have the ball, you run the clock out. Just that plain and simple."

Atlanta, which is 9-9 as the visitor on the season, will finish the trip by visiting Sacramento and Utah.

The Clippers, meanwhile, opened a five-game homestand in losing fashion Wednesday when Al Jefferson posted a season-high 31 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, as Utah overcame another double-double by Griffin in a 103-95 triumph over Los Angeles.

Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, setting a Clippers record with his 20th straight double-double. His nine straight games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds is the most in the NBA since Shaquille O'Neal racked up the same number from January 3-21, 2005. Since the 2000 season, Kevin Garnett has had the most consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound games, doing it 11 straight times from February 16, 2003 - March 5, 2003.

Overall, Griffin has 26 double-doubles in 33 games, and his current run is the third-longest this century, trailing only Garnett (37) and David Lee (24).

Eric Gordon added 19 points, while DeAndre Jordan chipped in 14 points and a career-high seven blocks against Utah for the Clippers, who lost for just the second time in seven games. Rookie Al-Farouq Aminu had 13 points and eight rebounds for LA

"Utah can execute as well as anyone in the league," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "Al Jefferson did it to us tonight. In the second half our ball movement and execution was not where it should be. We have to tighten things up."

Atlanta swept the home-and-home series between the two clubs last season and has won four of five overall versus the Clips.






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