SWEEPING STATEMENT
Warriors make it 10 in row over Clippers, finishing off the season series with a 50-point third quarter.
OAKLAND — The 50-point eruption hit the Clippers in the third quarter, knocking them out of a game they once had a measure of control of against the Golden State Warriors.
By the time the Clippers had absorbed that hit, they were well on their way to a 123-113 loss Thursday night at Oracle Arena.
It was the most points the Clippers have surrendered in a quarter this season — the previous high had been 45 and that was against these very same Warriors and also in the third quarter last month.
The NBA record for most points in a quarter was 58 by the Buffalo Braves in 1972.
“Well, we stopped playing,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said. “I thought the game plan was great.
I thought we played with energy defensively. They scored 50 points in the third quarter and I was more upset with our offense.”
Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant delivered the biggest blows the Clippers suffered in the third quarter, the two former most valuable players making sure L.A.’s losing streak to Golden State would be extended to 10 games.
Curry had 20 of his 35 points in the third, making five of eight from three-point range in that time. His 31footer to end the quarter was the crushing blow.
Durant had 15 of his 25 points in the period, going three for four from threepoint range.
Each three-point bomb dropped on the Clippers over the 12-minute stretch left them dizzy from an explosion that saw the Warriors go nine for 15 from long range.
“They got the best shooters in the league on one team, the three best shooters in the league on one team,” said Austin Rivers, who had 19 points. “So it’s stupid to expect them not to hit some tough shots.”
Clippers All-Star center DeAndre Jordan had 17 points and 11 rebounds, but he lost his composure after the second quarter and was assessed a technical foul.
The Clippers had outscored the Warriors 37-18 in the second quarter, building a 61-45 point lead. They were walking into the locker room with a 61-49 lead at the halftime when Jordan turned the calm and undercontrol play of the Clippers into a bad moment.
Jordan was upset no foul was called on a last-second play at the end of the second quarter.
He grabbed the ball as the teams were headed to their locker rooms and threw it in the opposite direction, drawing his 13th technical of the season, tying him for the second-highest in the NBA.
Jamal Crawford had 19 points, but that just left the Clippers still looking for their first victory against the Warriors since Christmas night in 2014.
The Clippers have lost the four games to the Warriors this season by an average of 21.5 points.
“They’re crushing us right now,” J.J. Redick said. “We need to be mentally tougher against them.”