Big 3 on the sideline for predictable loss

Griffin, Redick lead Clippers in romp over Cavaliers’ supporting cast

LOS ANGELES >> Blake Griffin scored 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers capitalized on the Cavaliers’ decision to rest their top three players with an easy 108-78 victory over Cleveland on Saturday night.

LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving sat out for the Cavaliers, and the Clippers snapped their three-game losing streak by feasting on the defending champions’ supporting cast.

J.J. Redick added 16 points for the Clippers, who swept their season series with the Cavs. Cleveland’s personnel decision also allowed the Clippers to rest Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan for the entire fourth quarter while their reserves turned a comfortable win into a blowout.

Griffin sat out Thursday’s loss at Denver to rest, and he poured in 13 points in the third quarter while the Clips pulled away.

Richard Jefferson scored 12 to lead the Cavs in their lowest-scoring game of the season.

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said Love already was scheduled to sit out this game in his comeback from left knee surgery, and Irving left Thursday’s game at Utah early with

tightness in his own left knee.

With the Cavs beginning a stretch of eight games in 14 days, Lue also decided to rest James instead of forcing him to play without his full supporting cast.

The result was not surprising — and perhaps just what the Clippers needed to shake up their team in a humdrum March. Los Angeles (41-29) had lost six of 10, and Oklahoma City is a half-game behind the Clippers for fifth place in the Western Conference.

The Cavaliers (45-22)

have lost five of eight, but still lead Boston by 1 ½ games atop the Eastern Conference.

The leftovers

Channing Frye, Deron Williams and J.R. Smith started for Cleveland in the stars’ place along with Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson. All five starters hit double figures.

The Staples Center crowd hated Lue’s decision, reacting with confusion when the starting lineups were announced and then booing James when he joined the Cavs on the bench early in the first quarter. “We Want LeBron!” chants were taken up by much of the crowd on a few occasions.

JAE C. HONG — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Clippers’ Chris Paul and the Cavaliers’ Derrick Williams go after the ball during the first half in Los Angeles on March 18.

JAE C. HONG — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LeBron James encourages his teammates from the bench.