Cavaliers 92 - 100 Clippers
Final
  for this game

Gordon returns in Clippers' defeat of Cavs

Mar 19, 2011 - 10:56 PM Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Blake Griffin finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, as the Clippers topped the Cavaliers, 100-92, at Staples Center.

Los Angeles snapped a nine-game losing streak to Cleveland, and did it with the help of a healthy Eric Gordon. Gordon, who has missed the past six games with a right wrist injury, hit six three-pointers and finished with 29 points in the win.

"Everybody was playing as a team today," Griffin said. "When Eric Gordon plays he really opens up the court. This was definitely a game we wanted to get."

Craig Smith added 12 in a reserve role, while Mo Williams contributed 11 for the victors.

J.J. Hickson paced Cleveland with 28 points and nine rebounds. Ramon Sessions scored 18 with seven assists, while Samardo Samuels scored 17 before fouling out.

"When Blake [Griffin] and I play against each other we both elevate our games," Hickson said.

Cleveland has dropped two in a row and six of its last seven.

The Clippers took a slim 82-78 lead into the fourth, and after Luke Harangody connected on a jumper to open the quarter the Clippers scored six straight points to widened their lead to 88-80.

LA widened their lead to 95-86 with a pair of Griffin free throws just inside four minutes remaining and reached a game-high 100-90 with a Williams three- pointer with just over two minutes left.

Sessions added a pair from the line inside the final minute to account for the final margin.

"We had a lot of turnovers, especially in the fourth quarter," Hickson added.

Samuels paced the Cavs with 14 points on 5-of-6 from the field in the first quarter as Cleveland held a 28-25 lead after one.

The Clippers tied the game in the opening minutes of the second, and after the teams traded the lead for the next few minutes, a pair of Al-Farouq Aminu free throws with 8:47 remaining started an 14-4 Clippers run.

Smith capped the run with a layup with 5 1/2 remaining, giving LA a 46-37 advantage. The Cavs marginally cut their deficit in the closing minutes, and a Griffin finger roll layup gave the Clippers a 54-50 lead at the break.

Griffin and Gordon both had 15 points at the half

The Clippers widened their lead to 61-52 with a Griffin hook shot two minutes into the third and the Cavs failed to get closer than three throughout the frame.

Game Notes

Cleveland committed 15 turnovers, five in the fourth quarter...The Cavs held a 37-34 rebounding margin...Daniel Gibson scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds for Cleveland...Alonzo Gee scored nine with seven boards in the loss...Cleveland won the previous meeting this season, 126-119, in overtime on February 11.






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