Clippers win 12th straight to set franchise record
Topics: From the Wires, Entertainment News
Local scout troops display a large American flag during the National Anthem before NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings in Los Angeles, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)(Credit: AP)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul had 24 points and 13 assists to help the Los Angeles Clippers, for decades synonymous with long losing streaks, break a 38-year-old franchise record with their 12th consecutive victory Friday night, 97-85 over the Sacramento Kings.
The previous mark was set by the Buffalo Braves during the 1974-75 season, when current Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro was 8 years old. The head coach back then was Jack Ramsay, whose formidable roster included Bob McAdoo, Garfield Heard, Randy Smith, Jim McMillian, Jack Marin and Bob Weiss.
That team won 49 games — still a record for a beleaguered organization that has called three different cities home, wasted first-round draft picks on Benoit Benjamin, Terry Dehere, Michael Olowokandi and Darius Miles, and was labeled “the worst franchise in sports history” by Sports Illustrated in an April 17, 2000, cover story.
Blake Griffin had 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who have had 20 double-digit losing streaks since their 11-game winning streak in Buffalo — including a dozen of 12 or more. They lost their first 16 in 1994-95, their first 17 of the lockout-shortened 1988-89 season, and the final 14 in 1986-87. The club record for consecutive defeats is 19, set in 1981-82 and equaled in 1988-89.
But those dark days are history thanks to the arrival of Griffin, the blockbuster trade that brought Paul from the New Orleans Hornets last December, and a bench that is arguably the deepest in the NBA. The Clippers, who have the league’s longest active winning streak, also own the NBA’s second-best record at 20-6 and trail Oklahoma City by just one game.
This is the earliest the Clippers’ franchise has ever reached the 20-win mark, and only the sixth time they did it with a winning record — including a 20-11 start last season. The previous club record in that department also was set in 1974-75, when the Braves started out 20-8. Just four seasons ago the Clips finished 19-63 under Mike Dunleavy.
Los Angeles beat Sacramento for the fifth straight time — including all three meetings last season. The Clippers haven’t lost to anyone since Nov. 26 at Staples Center, when New Orleans beat them 105-98 and held Griffin to four points and one field goal — both career lows.
Reserve guard Jimmer Fredette had 16 points for Sacramento, which is 1-11 on the road. DeMarcus Cousins was benched for the entire second half by coach Keith Smart, who ordered him to remain in the dressing room after he scored nine points in 20 minutes.



Comments
0 Comments