Clippers pull away from Bucks despite DeAndre Jordan’s quick ejection
Clippers power forward Blake Griffin throws down a dunk over Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo during a game on Dec. 16.
The Clippers stopped by home for a quick hello Wednesday and then it was out the door again.
DeAndre Jordan didn’t even stick around for the full game, the Clippers center’s ejection in the third quarter allowing him to start packing for his team’s next trip.
The Clippers probably didn’t leave any parting gifts for referee Marc Davis, whose quick back-to-back technical fouls on Jordan couldn’t deter them during a 103-90 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center.
Chris Paul made two three-pointers in the final 2 1/2 minutes and the Clippers’ bench provided some energy plays to help them hold off the Bucks, who were much more competitive than they were in losing to the Lakers by 18 points the previous night.
The Clippers lost Jordan with 6:49 left in the third quarter after he lost the ball out of bounds after falling on the floor. Jordan contended he was fouled on the play and followed Davis down the court while complaining. Davis called Jordan for one technical and then another a few seconds later after Jordan wouldn’t stop grumbling.
“I think he told Marc that he loved him and Marc said he loved him back,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers deadpanned when asked what happened. “That was it. I don’t know, is the answer.”
Jordan became the second Clipper to be ejected after receiving two technical fouls in the same game this season, a fate that also befell Blake Griffin against Phoenix last month. Griffin was also ejected last week after receiving a flagrant-2 foul against Chicago.
“I like when guys play with emotion,” Griffin said. “Yeah, I need to be smarter at times. Sometimes technical fouls are deserved and sometimes they’re not, and I guess we’ve put ourselves in a position to not really get that leeway and get that little cushion that sometimes guys get.”
Jordan, who finished with nine points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, left without speaking to reporters.
Griffin was strong across the board with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists to help the Clippers (16-10) win their third consecutive game and move a season-high six games over .500. Paul added 21 points, eight assists and six rebounds as the Clippers defeated Milwaukee for the second time in a week.
The Bucks were missing their regular starting center as Greg Monroe sat out a second consecutive game with soreness in his left knee.
Michael Carter-Williams and O.J. Mayo scored 17 points apiece for the Bucks, who have dropped 11 consecutive road games.
Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson added a jolt off the bench for the Clippers, Smith making back-to-back three-pointers late in the third quarter and Stephenson providing some entertainment in the second quarter.
Stephenson bounced a no-look pass to Paul Pierce for a layup and danced across the court in celebration. Stephenson then came up with a steal and a dunk before guarding the wrong man on defense, allowing his teammates to have some fun with him.
“Sometimes you just have to laugh with him,” Rivers said, “and at halftime the guys were killing him.”
Pierce finished with six points, giving the 18-year veteran 26,004 for his career.
Now it’s back on the road for two more games for the Clippers, whose brief home stopover came after a five-game trip.
“You call it the NBA,” Paul said.
“That’s how it is. You travel, everybody plays the same amount of home games, same amount of road games. You just take it for what it is.”
ben.bolch@latimes.com
Twitter: @latbbolch
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