GAMES:Five Takeaways: Crawford Hits Game-Winner Vs. Blazers

Jamal Crawford

LOS ANGELES – Even a preseason game can bring tension, excitement and a fair share of wackiness when the Clippers and Trail Blazers meet, particularly for the first time since their postseason matchup.


Overtime was avoided as the Clippers pulled out a 109-108 win Thursday night that ended in bizarre fashion in regulation, as Jamal Crawford knocked down a go-ahead shot with less than a second left before Portland found itself shooting a free throw at the other end.


On a night where Portland’s Al-Farouq Aminu already got ejected and Mason Plumlee fouled out in the first half, DeAndre Jordan’s night also ended before regulation wrapped up, as he was called for a second technical foul after running on the court thinking Crawford’s game-winner sealed the game.
That gave Portland a technical foul shot, which the Trail Blazers hit to get within a point, but the Clippers preserved the win by preventing the ensuing inbounds pass from finding its target.

Here are five takeaways from the matchup:
1) Blake fired up – The Clippers have talked about how this is around the time to start finding a rhythm as the preseason starts to wind down, and Blake Griffin looks to be ready to roll in every way. Griffin was aggressive from the start, consistently fighting his way to the rim and finding his way to the line. Twice he drew and-1 fouls on Damian Lillard – once on a fast break and once in the post – and got another and-1 on a baseline drive against Aminu. By the end of the first half, Griffin already posted 18 points and started working the perimeter, knocking down his first 3-pointer of the night before finishing with 26 points in 25 minutes of action.

2) Austin gets night off – Austin Rivers got the night off after what he described as groin soreness following a fall during practice. He said with two more preseason games and a full week of practice afterward, the Clippers decided to give him the night off, but he could’ve gone if the Clippers were playing a regular season game.

3) Luc at small forward – It was the look for the majority of last season, and it was the look the Clippers went with to start the game Thursday, as Luc Mbah a Moute started for the second time this preseason. Mbah a Moute started the opener, then Austin Rivers got a start, then Alan Anderson got a start before the Clippers went back to Mbah a Moute. It’s possible that starting position remains a matchup-based decision, but the Clippers could decide to use the same look they did last year the majority of the time. Mbah a Moute, in for his defense against the Trail Blazers’ dynamic backcourt, added six points as well.

4) Second wind – The Clippers allowed 27 points to Portland in the first quarter and found themselves trailing after the first quarter when the defense stepped up a significant notch. Beginning with strong work from the Clippers’ bench and capped off by the starters, the Clippers began the second quarter on an 18-0 run to take control of the game. Unfortunately for the Clippers’ backups, It didn’t go quite as well late, as Portland came back from an 18-point deficit to tie the game at 107 with less than a minute left to tie it before Crawford saved the win.


5) Getting physical – Head coach Doc Rivers said with six games instead of eight, he can not only play his normal players more minutes, but the players themselves are more eager to get in the game and get to work. They played physically as they frustrated Portland’s starters with their aggression. With three minutes still remaining in the first half, Plumlee had already fouled out. There was plenty of chirping between the two teams between possessions and even an ejection, as Aminu got tossed after expressing his displeasure with a foul call. Needless to say, the Oct. 27 opener in Portland should be an entertaining one.