When the NBA season started, many around the league saw a championship contender in Los Angeles in the Lakers, but perhaps they were talking about the wrong team.
The Los Angeles Clippers won their 14th consecutive game on Tuesday night with a 112-100 victory over the Nuggets, improving to 22-6 for the best record in the league while keeping their franchise-record winning streak alive. Jamal Crawford led the way for the Clippers with 22 points and proved that for now, the best team in the Staples Center wears red jerseys.
"It's about getting better and better," Crawford said to the Associated Press. "We're trying to stay locked in and focused."
The Clippers moved ahead of second-best Oklahoma City (21-6) after the Thunder lost earlier on Christmas Day to the Miami Heat in an NBA Finals rematch.
"This is fool's gold," cautioned Chris Paul. "You don't play for the regular season. Obviously, you want to build something."
Paul led the starters for the Clippers with 14 points, while Blake Griffin added 13 points and Willie Green had 11. Matt Barnes added 20 points off the bench as Los Angeles' reserves outscored the starting five 64-48. Barnes also added eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks for an all-around quality game.
The Staples Center hosted two games on Christmas with the New York Knicks falling to the Lakers 100-94 earlier in the day. Kosta Koufos and Jordan Hamilton scored 16 points each for Denver, while Ty Lawson added 15 points.
"They're a very good running team and they're very athletic, so we wanted to just play within ourselves and play smart throughout the game," Koufos said. "I thought we established ourselves early on. We were getting some good looks, but at the same time, shots weren't going in."
The Nuggets have struggled on the road all season and were coming off of a 110-88 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday. The team is scoring 101 points per game on offense, but has been one of the worst on defense, allowing 100 points per game, ranked 25th in the NBA.
"They've got the respect of the league and they've got the attention of the league," said former Clipper Andre Miller, who had 12 points. "It's tough to come in here and get a win when the team is playing that well."
Crawford was the catalyst for the Clippers on Tuesday night and has been the leading scorer among NBA reserves this season.
Los Angeles struggled in the fourth quarter, allowing the Nuggets to score 24 points on 61 percent shooting, but was able to hold on for the victory.
"It looked like a layup drill for them," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said about Denver scoring 10 straight points. "I'm big into making sure we play the right way. It's always about the big picture and us getting better."
The second quarter was much better for the Clippers. The team scored 42 points in the second, which is the highest for any quarter this season, and also had a 28-10 run that gave the Clippers a 67-48 lead at halftime.
"When we are at our best, our starters have a great first quarter and our bench elevates that," Griffin said.
The Clippers entered the season with high expectations after trading for Chris Paul last year and have a core of talented players in Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe. The team improved to 13-3 at home and hasn't lost at the Staples Center since Nov. 26 against New Orleans.
"I didn't know what anything was like here," Paul said to ESPN.com. "I know what the perception was. If I came on a road trip to play here in L.A. against the Clippers we felt like we were going to win. I just wanted it to be different. Blake and I talk about that all the time. We want guys to know when they come in here and play us, they better get some rest the night before. They know they're going to be in for a dogfight."
Los Angeles has played extremely well defensively compared to last season and rank third in points allowed with just 91 per game. The team has played efficiently on offense, scoring 101 points per game while ranking second in assists per game in the NBA.
Griffin in leading the team in scoring with 18 points per game, while Paul is tops in assists and steals. Los Angeles had played on Christmas Day only three times over the past 20 years, but proved on Tuesday why they are one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA. Paul is averaging 15.8 points and 9.5 assists over the past 10 games and has been shooting nearly 50 percent during the month of December.
The bench has been a true weapon for Los Angeles, especially the play of Crawford and Barnes, who have proven to be valuable scorers in reserve roles.
Crawford is averaging 16.5 points per game, while Barnes has scored at least 10 points in eight straight games. Ronny Turiaf and Ryan Hollins have provided size and rebounding at the center position, while Lamar Odom has added a veteran presence in the locker room and on the court.
During the 14-game winning streak, the Clippers have beaten skilled teams like the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves, and have scored at least 100 points 10 different times over that stretch. Griffin has registered a double-double in two of the past three games and has been averaging 19.2 points and 8.1 rebounds over the past 10 games.
The Clippers have a tough upcoming schedule, with road games against Utah, Golden State and Denver, but the team has been solid away from home, going 9-3 overall this season. Los Angeles will next face the Boston Celtics at home on Thursday night.
