Clippers have can’t-miss strategy to beat Bulls, 112-95

CHICAGO — It sounds simplistic, but the axiom reflected how the Clippers shot down the defense-oriented Chicago Bulls, 112-95, Friday night at the United Center.

“Let’s be honest,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s a make-miss league.”

And the Clippers made a lot of shots, from two-point range, from three-point range, from all over the court.

They shot 53.9% from the field, shredding a Bulls defense that had limited opponents to 42.9% shooting, the NBA’s third-best percentage on defense before the game started.

The Clippers shot 61.9% from three-point range, their 13-for-21 shooting a big reason why six of them scored in double figures.

And they dropped the 112 points on a Bulls team that was giving up 92.5 points per game, the second-lowest in the NBA.

“It’s really about our ball movement offensively that gets us those shots,” said Blake Griffin, who had 26 points on 11-for-18 shooting, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

The Clippers put it on the Bulls right from the start, shooting a season-high 73.7% in the first quarter, a including 87.5% (seven for eight) from three-point range.

The seven three-point field goals were a franchise record and the 10 three-pointers — out of 14 attempts — that the Clippers made before halftime tied a franchise record for three-point field goals in a half.

At times J.J. Redick put on the shooting show, going five for 11 from the field, four for seven from three-point range, and scoring 18 points.

Other times Jamal Crawford did the honors, going six for 14 from the field, including three for five from three-point range, to score 19 points off the bench.

Darren Collison played on a sprained left big toe, but still was six for 11 from the field, including two for three from three-point range, to score 17 points.

Matt Barnes went five for six from the field, including three for four from three-point range, scoring 13 points.

And DeAndre Jordan scored inside, with 10 points on four-for-five shooting, and grabbed 12 rebounds.

“We definitely feel it’s contagious to see the ball go in,” Barnes said. “When you see the ball go in a couple of times, you’re a lot more confident when you shoot.

“When we make shots like that, it makes it hard to key on Blake. We move the ball from one side of the court to another and then sometimes back, and that makes it tough on a good defensive team.”

The Bulls did make a run in the third quarter, cutting the Clippers’ lead to eight points.

That’s when Collison took over.

Collison scored 10 consecutive points for the Clippers, and his two free throws that finished off the run pushed their lead back to 14 points.

“I was just taking what the defense gives me,” Collison said. “My teammates were knocking down shots all game long, and I just decided to take it on my own and be a little bit more aggressive. I just happened to hit some shots.”

broderick.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @BA_Turner