Former Knick Billups leads Clippers over Nets
Los Angeles Clippers guard Chauncey Billups, center, passes the ball as New Jersey Nets' Mehmet Okur, left, and Deron Williams, right, defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game. (Jan. 16, 2012) Credit: AP
LOS ANGELES -- Chauncey Billups had nine of his 20 points in the final 4:23 yesterday as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Nets, 101-91.
Billups, 35, acquired in a waiver auction from the Knicks in December, played 34 minutes as starting point guard Chris Paul sat out with a strained left hamstring. Blake Griffin added 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers (7-3) and Caron Butler had 20 points.
"We did a good job of pulling it out," Griffin said. "I mean, we shouldn't have let it get to that point in the first place. We'd much rather have kept that lead and rested a little bit, but we did a good job of grinding and getting it done."
After trailing by 18, the Nets (3-11) tied it at 81 with a 15-2 run capped by Deron Williams' three-pointer with 6:46 to play, but the Clippers outscored them 20-10 the rest of the way. Billups drained a clinching three-pointer with 1:09 left and added a pair of free throws.
Billups made all seven of his free- throw attempts and is 47-for-50 from the line this season. His career free-throw percentage of 89.4 is the fourth-highest in NBA history behind Steve Nash, Mark Price and Peja Stojakovic. "As you know, I love those moments," he said.
MarShon Brooks scored 19 points and Williams had 14 points and six assists for the Nets. "They came out and played hard, and we weren't able to turn the corner," said the Nets' Kris Humphries (14 points, seven rebounds). "They have gotten a lot better as a team."-- AP
