(The Sports Xchange) – Blake Griffin scored 24 points and point guard Chris Paul added 21 points and 10 assists to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 117-105 romp over the Denver Nuggets.
The Clippers (57-24) set a franchise record for wins in a season, topping last season’s mark of 56.
Los Angeles wrapped up the regular season against the Trail Blazers last night.
The Clippers, currently in the number three position in the Western Conference, could rise a spot if they earn a win at Portland and the Oklahoma City Thunder loses at home to the Detroit Pistons.
Griffin will probably not play in Portland after picking up his 16th technical foul of the season, generating an automatic suspension if it is not rescinded.
The technical was called at 3:23 of the second period, but it factored little in the outcome.
– – –
Nets 109, Knicks 98
The New York Knicks continued their strong finish to the season, despite being eliminated from the playoffs, with a victory over cross-town rivals Brooklyn.
It was the sixth win in the last eight games for the Knicks (36-45), who defeated the Nets in three of four meetings this season. Tim Hardaway Jr provided a steady hand with a team-leading 16 points as New York played without forward Carmelo Anthony, the NBA’s second-leading scorer, who was shut down for the final two games of the season with a partial tear in his right labrum.
The Nets (44-37) had an opportunity to clinch the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, but now will have to win their regular-season finale against the Cleveland Cavaliers or hope sixth-seeded Washington lose theirs.
