Sprain tempers Clippers’ gain

The last time Chris Paul went down with an injury, the Los Angeles Clippers went into a tailspin.

They’re hoping it doesn’t happen again.

JJ Redick scored 20 points and DeAndre Jordan had 19 points and 15 rebounds as the streaking Clippers overcame Paul’s latest injury to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-98 on Monday.

The banged-up Clippers tied a franchise record for their best start to a calendar year at 7-0. The team began 1974 with the same mark when the franchise was located in Buffalo.

Los Angeles owns the NBA’s longest active winning streak despite being without injured star Blake Griffin. Paul sprained his left thumb in the second quarter of this one and didn’t return.

“You worry when he doesn’t come back out in the second half,” Redick said. “Hopefully, it’s not serious, but if it is, Blake is going to be back soon. We’ll just continue to play.”

Last month, Paul sat out with a left hamstring strain and the Clippers lost six in a row. He came back shortly after their current winning streak began.

Coach Doc Rivers said an initial X-ray on Paul’s thumb was negative and the star point guard was set to have an MRI on Tuesday.

Rivers didn’t see the play but said he was told Russell Westbrook came down on Paul’s thumb.

Westbrook scored 24 points on 7-of-19 shooting in three quarters for the Thunder, the last team to beat the Clippers — on New Year’s Eve — before the calendar turned and their winning streak began. He was the only starter in double figures for Oklahoma City.