LOS ANGELES (Sporting Alert) — The Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers both picked up NBA preseason wins on Wednesday night.
Blake Griffin and Chris Paul returned from a night off to lead the Clippers past the Phoenix Suns, 108-105, while the Lakers, playing without Kobe Bryant, beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 94-86.
For the LA Clippers, Griffin poured in 35 points on 14 of 26 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds and Chris Paul added 34 points on 12 of 18, and nine assists, five rebounds and four steals in the victory.
Shooting guard J.J. Redick also added 13 points and Spencer Hawes had 10 rebounds for the Clippers, which picked up its second win from seven outings in preseason.
Doc Rivers’ side is 5-2 in the warmups, but team leader Paul is backing them to get thins right to start the season, despite the slow start.
“We’re returning the same starting five as we had last year, but it’s not as easy as that,” he said on the Clippers website.
“At some point, we’ll start clicking on all cylinders, but it’s a process.”
Former Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe led the Phoenix Suns with 27 points, while Gerald Green supported with 23 in the defeat. Marcus Morris had 17 points and eight boards and twin brother Markieff Morris added 12 points in the defeat.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Rivers rested center DeAndre Jordan and shooting guard Jamal Crawford, while guard Jordan Farmar misses the gave with a lower back injury.
LAKERS WIN TOO
Rookie Julius Randle paced the Lakers past the Portland Trail Blazers at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Randle collected 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down eight boards off the bench in his team’s win.
“Every game, I feel more comfortable,” Randle said after the contest. “It’s the same looks, the same everything.
“I’m just knocking them down. Obviously I’m just taking advantage of opportunities.”
Jeremy Lin finished with 13 points and five assists, while Wesley Johnson and Wayne Ellington each scored 11 points on the night.
C.J. McCollum had 17 points and Meyers Leonard ended with 13 for the Trail Blazers, which played without four starters, as LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Robin Lopez all sat out.
The Lakers will take on the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas on Friday in their final exhibition, while the Blazers are at the Los Angeles Clippers to end their warm fixtures.
OTHER GAMES ON THE NIGHT
Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points, including the go ahead jumper with less than 13 seconds left to lift the New York Knicks past the Washington Wizards 103-100 at Madison Square Garden.
John Wall scored 29 points and Otto Porter Jr. added 22 points in the defeat for the Wizards.
There were also wins for the Rockets over the Magic, 90-89, Celtics finished up its preseason with a 100-86 win over the Nets, while Memphis beat Cleveland, who rested LeBron James, 96-92 and Atlanta, 117, picked up a win over San Antonio, 107
Wednesday, October 22 Preseason Scores
Houston 90, Orlando 89
Boston 100, Brooklyn 86
New York 103, Washington 100
Toronto 92, Maccabi Haifa 85
Memphis 96, Cleveland 92
Minnesota 110, Milwaukee 91
Atlanta 117, San Antonio 107
LA Lakers 94, Portland 86
LA Clippers 108, Phoenix 105
