Three takeaways from the Clippers’ 124-114 win over the Phoenix Suns

It wasn’t easy and at times it wasn’t pretty. But the Clippers’ 124-114 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday was effective in taking some of the lingering sting out of last weekend’s blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors. And in the win the Clippers made a number of other points as well:

1. Blake Griffin can go solo when he has to

Griffin’s importance to the team was underlined when he went out with a knee injury in December and the Clippers immediately went on a season-worst six-game losing streak. Since he’s come back, he’s been playing without guard Chris Paul, and Wednesday he lost center DeAndre Jordan to a flagrant-two foul midway through the third period. With Jordan out, the Suns pulled within a point of the Clippers early in the final quarter, but Griffin let them get no further, hustling at both ends of the floor and setting a tone his teammates followed.

“It was good to see him in form, flying through the air, making plays, doing everything,” guard Jamal Crawford said. “That’s what Blake did.”

He also finished with a game-high 29 points while playing more than 34 minutes, the most in six weeks.

2. The Clippers may be getting a tiny bit better at controlling their temper

Doc Rivers and his team have waged a season-long battle with the officials, which has earned them the fourth-most technical fouls in the league. On Wednesday, Rivers had repeated “conversations” with officials Scott Foster and Jacyn Goble and was particularly upset with the call that got Jordan expelled from the game and which earned assistant coach Armond Hill a technical for arguing.

“I was really surprised by that,” Rivers said of Foster’s call on Jordan.

“I didn’t agree with it at all,” Jordan added.

But this time the Clippers didn’t let their emotions get the better of them. Although Phoenix cut a 12-point deficit to one after the ejection, the Clippers eventually rallied.

“It’s a work in progress,” Crawford said. “We’re kind of an emotional team. We have to be honest. But we can’t change the calls so we have to keep playing.”

3. Until Paul returns next month, the Clippers may have to find unconventional ways to win

With Jordan, his best defensive player out, and five other players with at least four fouls, Rivers finished Wednesday’s game with four guards and Griffin on the court. Not exactly the way he drew it up, but it worked.

“Find a way to win,” forward Raymond Felton said. “We made plays when we needed to and got stops when we needed to. Guys just showed togetherness.”

Added Griffin: “I was proud of the way we stayed with it and dug it out in the end. When we play and when we’re free and when we trust our offense, those opportunities present themselves to guys.”

kevin.baxter@latimes.com

Twitter: kbaxter11