Five takeaways from the Clippers’ victory over Sacramento
The Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings, 106-98, on Friday night.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
1. One game after Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said he and his team had to tone down their attitude toward officials, DeAndre Jordan picked up a technical foul in the third quarter against the Kings, after he had scored on a layup but was upset no foul was called for a push in the back.
Jordan has a team-leading nine technical fouls on the season, tied for the second most in the NBA with Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.
Rivers had said before the Memphis game Wednesday at Staples Center that he had joined forces with the Violence Intervention Program in the L.A. area and that the money he paid in fines for getting technicals would be directed to VIP.
He encouraged his players to also direct fine money for technical fouls to a charity of their choice.
The Clippers have 33 technical fouls, the third most in the NBA.
“DJ is going to give his technical money to my charity,” Rivers said. “So I appreciate that. Thank you very much.”
2. Not only was Chris Paul back leading the Clippers after he had missed the last four games because of a sore left hamstring, but he was making history.
Paul racked up 12 assists against the Kings. That gave him 7,994 assists over his 12-year NBA career, moving him past Rod Strickland (7,987) for 10th on the NBA’s all-time list.
“That’s cool. It’s an honor,” Paul said. “It’s a privilege. For me it’s crazy. I’m so competitive, I think about all the games I done missed because of injuries. But that’s an honor and a privilege. I think it says a lot about my teammates and my coaches that I’ve had over the years. I’ve been blessed enough to come into this league and play from Day 1, so that’s why that stuff happens.”
Jazz guard John Stockton is the NBA’s all-time leader in assists with 15,806.
Paul said he long ago gave up on trying to eclipse Stockton.
“When I first came into the league, my goal was to pass John Stockton in steals and assists,” Paul said. “No chance. I missed 18 games my second year in the league with an ankle injury. That went out the window then. He ain’t never missed no games.”
3. Austin Rivers was back on a roll again for the Clippers.
He had 24 points on nine-for-15 shooting, including four of seven on three-pointers.
His 18 points in the first half tied his highest scoring half as a Clipper, which was accomplished against the Kings on Feb. 21, 2015.
4. Jordan was an offensive force.
The Clippers center missed just one of his 10 shots and only one of his two free throws.
He finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and two assists.
5. After every win, the Clippers play music in the locker room and sing — or rap — along as a group.
But after the win over the Kings, Doc Rivers was happy with the choice of music his team chose. It clearly was more in line with his generation.
“For a change there’s no rap music in there,” Rivers, while smiling late Friday night. “They got James Brown, which is really nice for me.”
Twitter: @BA_Turner
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