NEW YORK: Chris Paul missed just two shots in a stunning 32-point display as the Los Angeles Clippers blasted the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-105 yesterday to seize a Game One victory in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Paul made his first eight three-pointers, a career-best total, and finished 12-for-14 from the field with 10 assists as Los Angeles enjoyed a surprisingly dominant road win to open the best-of-seven series.
“It was just one of those nights. This will definitely go down in the history books for me,” Paul told reporters.
With the victory, the Clippers continued to distance themselves from the cloud of controversy that hovered above a first round series overshadowed by owner Donald Sterling’s racist comments that led to a life ban from the NBA last week.
The Thunder also waded through a seven-game struggle of their own against Memphis but appeared ill-prepared for a free-scoring Los Angeles team, despite 29 points from Russell Westbrook and 25 from Kevin Durant.
Paul showed his hand early, pouring in five three-pointers in the first quarter alone to lead the road team to a 39-25 advantage at the break.
The Clippers continued to build on their momentum as the Thunder appeared powerless to slow them down with Los Angeles leading by as much as 29 points late in the fourth quarter.
All Star Blake Griffin finished with 23 points and Jamal Crawford added 17 off the bench in the winning effort.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha, regarded as a defensive specialist, rejoined the starting lineup after being benched for the past two games but his presence had almost no effect on the Clippers’ offense.
Meanshile , the Washington Wizards showed no signs of wilting in the heat of the play-offs as they beat the top-seeded Indiana Pacers 102-96 in their Eastern Conference second round series opener yesterday.
Second-year guard Bradley Beal scored a team-high 25 points, Trevor Ariza made all six of his three-pointer attempts for 22 and the Wizards drew first blood on the road in the best-of-seven series.
Washington turned heads when they beat the Chicago Bulls in just five games in the first round of the post-season and are playing in the second round for the first time since 2005.
“We feel like we’re capable of winning when we play our style of basketball,” Ariza told reporters.
“We hadn’t won (in Indiana) in a while.
Why wouldn’t this be the best time to come in and get a win?”
The Pacers, needed the full seven games to survive and advance against eighth seed Atlanta in the opening round also held form after they, again suffered from inconsistency.
Paul George, who led the charge with 30 points in Indiana’s Game Seven triumph on Saturday, was off his game against the Wizards, scoring 18 points on 4-for-17 shooting.
Washington, who stay in Indiana for Game Two on Wednesday, particularly pounded the Pacers inside where they won the rebound count 53-36.
Conversely, Indiana big man Roy Hibbert, who has been in disappointing form in the post-season, did not record a point or rebound in 18 minutes.
“We can’t put ourselves in these corners.
We should learn from the first series,” George said.
“It’s going to be a tough series for us.”
REUTERS
