The Los Angeles Clippers still aren’t at full health, and yet Paul Pierce and Co. keep finding ways to win.
In a defensive battle where neither team reached a double-digit lead, the Clippers topped the Atlanta Hawks 85-83 for their second two-point win in as many nights on the road.
“We found different ways to win,” said Jamal Crawford, who scored a game-high 21 points in 29 minutes off the bench. “Different guys stepped up, and that’s what being a team is all about.”
The Truth tallied five points, two rebounds, an assist and a block. Just 24 hours removed from a gritty road win over the Indiana Pacers, the Clips showed fatigue early, but the LAC reserves rose to the occasion. Paced by Crawford’s 21 points, the L.A. bench combined for 39 points, outscoring the ATL second unit by 27.
The bench made its biggest impact on the defensive end. The Clippers swiped 16 balls — 10 by the reserves — and scored 17 points off the Hawks’ season-high 23 giveaways.
Solid defense sustained the Clippers in a game that saw subpar shooting from both parties. The Hawks shot 41.8 percent (33-of-79) with 10 triples, while holding the Clips to 38.8 percent (33-of-85) from the floor and 18.5 percent (5-of-27) from deep.
Paul scored all five of his points over 10 minutes of floor time in the first half. No. 34 dished to Luc Mbah a Moute and drained a catch-and-shoot trey from the top of the key to give the Clippers their largest lead, 9-4, of the first quarter. But the Hawks responded to score seven unanswered on their way to taking a 23-17 lead into the second stanza.
The Truth later scored with a step-back jumper in the second, a quarter in which the second unit saw the majority of the minutes. The reserves took over for a 12-1 run to give the Clippers a 33-28 advantage. Crawford highlighted the surge with seven points.
After trailing 45-43 at the break, the LAC starters emerged in the third quarter. J.J. Redick opened the second half with a pair of triples, and Chris Paul scored seven points in the period after being held to just two in the first half.
Atlanta led by as many as nine, but LAC ended the third quarter with a 10-3 burst to get within two, 66-64, heading into the final frame.
Paul played less than a minute in the fourth, as DeAndre Jordan and Crawford closed it out for the Clippers.
Jordan, a typically sporadic free throw shooter, connected on 6-of-8 from the charity stripe before giving the Clippers the lead for good with a dunk in the final 15 seconds. And Crawford totaled six points in the quarter after hitting two from the line, pushing the LAC lead to three with 7.8 seconds remaining.
“Strange game,” head coach Doc Rivers. “We missed 100 layups and D.J. makes four free throws in a row.”
Jordan, who has often been a hacking target, finished with a double-double, totaling 13 points and 19 rebounds.
All five Hawks starters score in double figures, led by Jeff Teague, who had 16. Paul Millsap recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, but couldn’t convert in clutch territory, missing two layups in the final 30 seconds.
The win marks the 14th in 17 games after taking three of five on this past road swing. The Clippers continue to find ways to win without their All-NBA forward Blake Griffin, making their coach proud of the team’s effort and determination.
“I would have taken this record healthy,” Rivers said of the 3-2 mark. “That was a heck of a win.”
NEXT UP
Paul Pierce and the Clippers (30-16) return to the Staples Center for a games against the Los Angeles Lakers (9-38), Chicago Bulls (25-19) and Minnesota Timberwolves (14-33).
The Clippers are 1-0 this season versus the Lakers after a 94-84 victory on Christmas Day. The Lakers have dropped 11 of their past 12 games, most recently falling to the Dallas Mavericks, 92-90, on Tuesday.
The Hallway Series is set for Friday at 7:30 p.m. PT.
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