Los Angeles Clippers vs. Washington Wizards: Live Score, Highlights and Reaction
In one of their more impressive victories of the season, the Washington Wizards took down the Los Angeles Clippers' nine-game winning streak Friday at the Verizon Center. The victory pushed Washington to 16-6 and 11-2 at home, while the Clippers fell to the 16-6 mark.
The Wizards took a double-digit lead in the first quarter and, aside from a couple of pushes by Los Angeles, remained in control most of the way. The Clips piled on points in spurts, including a nine-to-nothing run in the second half, but Washington fended off each run with one of their own.
Bradley Beal led everyone with 29 points on nine-of-17 shooting. John Wall recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists. Kris Humphries put in solid work on both ends, going for 11 points and playing tough defense on Blake Griffin for much of the game.
Like Washington, all of the Clippers' starters scored in double-figures. After failing to score a field goal until the middle of the second quarter, Chris Paul finished as the team leader in points with 19 on seven-of-14 shooting. Blake Griffin was a non-factor with just 14 points on 13 shots to go along with two rebounds. Foul woes kept DeAndre Jordan on the floor for just 25 minutes—he logged 11 points on four shots and eight boards.
With the win, Washington continued its hot stretch, having lost just once since Thanksgiving. They remain a tick off the Toronto Raptors' pace for the top seed in the East.
Los Angeles is still in prime position to make a run at 16-6, but in the brutally tough Western Conference, they drop to sixth place.
The Clips play again Saturday in Milwaukee, while the Wizards are off until Sunday when they host the Utah Jazz.
